It's not just exaggeration, it's something else. What is it?
February 3, 2010 7:01 AM Subscribe
It's not just exaggeration, it's something else. What is it?
Reality:
You (with hat in hand): Please, boss, I really need a raise.
Boss: I suppose I can authorize a raise
You: Great! Thank you so much!
At the bar, talking with your friends:
You: So I told that boss of mine if he didn't give me a raise I was going to walk out that door and take my talents elsewhere!
Other than just simple exaggeration, hyperbole, or the 'I have a big you-know-what' syndrome, what else would you call this syndrome? Bonus points if there's a psychological term for this :)
Reality:
You (with hat in hand): Please, boss, I really need a raise.
Boss: I suppose I can authorize a raise
You: Great! Thank you so much!
At the bar, talking with your friends:
You: So I told that boss of mine if he didn't give me a raise I was going to walk out that door and take my talents elsewhere!
Other than just simple exaggeration, hyperbole, or the 'I have a big you-know-what' syndrome, what else would you call this syndrome? Bonus points if there's a psychological term for this :)
Self-aggrandizement.
posted by orthogonality at 7:04 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by orthogonality at 7:04 AM on February 3, 2010
Embellishment sums it up best without resorting to judgements about the specific act (whatever it may be).
posted by jaffacakerhubarb at 7:08 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by jaffacakerhubarb at 7:08 AM on February 3, 2010
"Boastfully revisionist anecdote"
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:19 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:19 AM on February 3, 2010
Eh, jzed's is better. Braggadacio nicely sums it up.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:20 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:20 AM on February 3, 2010
Fish story? Like the one that got away was this big!
posted by cjorgensen at 7:21 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by cjorgensen at 7:21 AM on February 3, 2010
Fish story? Like the one that got away was this big!
Between the eyes.
I think "fish story" is a pretty good layman's term.
"Telling a whopper" - as in telling a big lie - might be another.
But both of these refer to making a good story better. In the example it's making a bad story look good which really isn't bragging per se....
Good question. Someone will nail it.
posted by three blind mice at 7:30 AM on February 3, 2010
Between the eyes.
I think "fish story" is a pretty good layman's term.
"Telling a whopper" - as in telling a big lie - might be another.
But both of these refer to making a good story better. In the example it's making a bad story look good which really isn't bragging per se....
Good question. Someone will nail it.
posted by three blind mice at 7:30 AM on February 3, 2010
Best answer: So I told that boss of mine if he didn't give me a raise I was going to walk out that door and take my talents elsewhere!
How about "bullshit"?
posted by tomcooke at 7:34 AM on February 3, 2010 [3 favorites]
How about "bullshit"?
posted by tomcooke at 7:34 AM on February 3, 2010 [3 favorites]
It's a bunch of malarkey is what it is.
posted by milarepa at 7:35 AM on February 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by milarepa at 7:35 AM on February 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
In Dutch it's called "fisherman's latin" or "fisher's latin" (visserslatijn).
posted by NekulturnY at 7:59 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by NekulturnY at 7:59 AM on February 3, 2010
It's just plain good storytelling.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:19 AM on February 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:19 AM on February 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
To some, it's not storytelling but incredibly irritating lying.
posted by Rash at 8:50 AM on February 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Rash at 8:50 AM on February 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, yes; people sometimes burn fiction as well.
I try only to be irritated by lies that negatively impact me.
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:13 AM on February 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
I try only to be irritated by lies that negatively impact me.
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:13 AM on February 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, since you prefer psychological terms for this kind of lying: hypermasculinity, machismo, grandiosity and distortion all come to mind.
posted by bearwife at 9:31 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by bearwife at 9:31 AM on February 3, 2010
I just can't think of a better term than "fish story". The Urban Dictionary nails it.
posted by hiteleven at 9:34 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by hiteleven at 9:34 AM on February 3, 2010
I'd combine a couple of the above into Hyperbolic Braggadacio.
posted by carlh at 9:57 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by carlh at 9:57 AM on February 3, 2010
possibly histrionic behavior. if accompanied by a few other annoying traits.
posted by morganannie at 10:19 AM on February 3, 2010
posted by morganannie at 10:19 AM on February 3, 2010
I think we need other examples. In the one you give, is it more the aggressiveness/toughness of the retelling, or just the inflation of the details? Is this something that a kid or old lady would be just as guilty of doing?
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 11:25 PM on February 3, 2010
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 11:25 PM on February 3, 2010
Response by poster: From the OP here:
I supposed it's partially an inflation of the details, but also changing the attitude / how one acts when in front of a given person. It also has a lot to do with negotiating, or the perception thereof.
I've marked the question resolved and a few 'best answers' - keep 'em coming if you like :)
posted by chrisinseoul at 5:12 AM on February 7, 2010
I supposed it's partially an inflation of the details, but also changing the attitude / how one acts when in front of a given person. It also has a lot to do with negotiating, or the perception thereof.
I've marked the question resolved and a few 'best answers' - keep 'em coming if you like :)
posted by chrisinseoul at 5:12 AM on February 7, 2010
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