Fakes, liars, cheats, deceivers, animals in the forest
-
Upload
independent -
Category
Documents
-
view
0 -
download
0
Transcript of Fakes, liars, cheats, deceivers, animals in the forest
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest
Itrsquos all around us From face lifts to luxury cars on hire purchase from inflated CVs to
exaggerated job titles from company publicity material to the spin that governments put
on their failures and deceptions At what point does fakery become fraud Would the
world be a duller place without it
Thor May
Brisbane 2014
Preface This is a discussion paper not a researched
academic document The reading list at the end is
mostly a collection of contemporary links from the
Internet and pretty accidental not edited for quality
Where a topic is of broad general interest comes up with
friends I have adopted the practice of posting
discussion starters like the present one on Academiaedu
in the hope that others might also find them worth
thinking about
1 The scope of this discussion
Alls fair in love and war or so the
winners have claimed from time
immemorial and the animal
kingdom seems to agree Deception
has always been a primary tool for
getting the girl or the guy or the
kingdom or the contract It soon
made a kind of sense to invent laws and religion which gave special rights
of deception to the winners while the losers were supposed to tip their
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
2
forelocks and say humbly that the Lord is my shepherd then promise
not to stray That is might was right and explained as the just order of
things However this was a bit discouraging for those out of luck
When self-help books started arriving their first and biggest market
turned out to be giving the depressed sheeple permission to fake-it-till-
they-made-it whatever making it might mean to them In relative
modernity an early starter in this line of woo was the Reverent Vincent
Peale with his The Power of Positive Thinking (1952) He must have
been onto something because it is still selling and has countless
imitators For every action there is also a reaction ndash now even an anti-
positive thinking movement (Ehrenreich 2010)
Faking it to make it is all very well almost old fashioned A harder trick
may be to fake it to keep making it Think of the legions of middle aged
workers who sincerely hate their jobs but have to fake wanting to be
there since therersquos not a snowflakersquos chance in hell they will ever get
another job (Courtenay 2014) The same might be said for countless
soured marriages preserved for the sake of children And then we have
those at the top of their game but scared of falling over At President
Barrack Obamarsquos inauguration ceremony in 2009 the marines honour
band pretended to play while their own pre-recorded performance came
over the loudspeakers The performer Beyonce sang flawlessly um
well she actually lip-synched her own pre-recorded voice (Younge 2013)
And the President of course spoke movingly hellip reading from an autocue
out of sight from the TV cameras So where are the borders of reality
now We live in a haze of manicured virtual relationships (May 2013b
ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo)
Of course anyone who is not pathologically naive and who has
encountered the corporate-speak of todays urban living knows that the
fake-it meme is already in the DNA of most institutional critters large and
small The only news is that this virus might also be deployed by bus
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
3
drivers and check-out girls With this in mind the essay takes the fake-it
topic beyond some simple self-trickery sold as positive thinking and looks
at various extended mutations inside and outside of the law The reading
list reflects this
2 The shifting sands of moral judgement on deception
One interesting issue is the red lines of acceptability and the green lines
of um-OK which people set up in their minds when coping with
deceitfakeryfraud etc Ive personally come to the conclusion that while
we assume that others share our red and green lines in behavioural
practice there is only very limited consensus about what is or is not OK in
matters of deception This can be even be played upon in the mass media
when people are socially and professionally lured into admitting or
inventing transgressions for public entertainment (Younge 2013)
Although Irsquom a lousy faker myself my own gold standard for moral
judgements is whether the deceit was done with good intentions and
whether self or others are likely to be hurt or helped by the act That is a
judgement call and not always easy to make
3 Acceptable ranges of personal deception
The most generous concessions we make to testing the limits of fakery
are those we apply to our own needs and failings Everyone wants to be a
hero in their own movie It tends to work outwards from there to family
intimate partners friends acquaintances and so on At this proximity we
may be direct though not vicious in calling out a deception in those we
know well or we may joke about it In fact we may culturally expect a
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
4
plain girl to wear makeup or a man to barrack for a football team he
privately cares nothing about
When life seems especially grim or hopeless we may conjure up and
project a degree of illusion (or self-delusion) about a nicer future on the
principle that all the world loves a winner so given sufficient chutzpah it
can all come true The personally timid depressed angry or fearful
individual may be persuaded to put on a happy and confident face to help
with future realities Apparently this actually does change outcomes at
least some of the time and has spawned the aforementioned deluge of
self-help books and courses It has also spawned many work
environments of fake and therefore stressful bonhomie We may not be
entirely persuaded when the shop assistant with deadpan eyes says ldquohave
a happy dayrdquo
At the personal level deception may be entirely private (self-deception)
or it may be to coolly present a certain invented persona socially or
professionally or it may involve self-deception for the purpose of public
deception
The propagandistrsquos first target is himherself Smith (2014) notes that
effective politicians endeavour to persuade themselves of causes whether
or not the causes are credible The same is true of any salesman I once
had a very brief career cold calling to sell typewriter ribbons and carbon
papers I was an abject failure being quite unable to convince myself or
my hoped-for customers that the products were of value Yet the
promiscuous promises and deceptions of sales talk can be intoxicating for
some who make a career of it
Deception is usually thought of as raising expectations falsely
However it may also be used to lower expectations Keeping a low
profile disarms possible attack Showing apparent weakness may mislead
a competitor into careless error Ambiguous agreement leaves no space
for counter-argument And so on Even as a private game this technique
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
5
can yield a certain kind of empowerment The only job interviews I have
ever managed well were those where I persuaded myself that the
outcome didnrsquot matter terribly much after all Wanting something too
much can be a severe handicap In retrospect I might have had more
luck with romance if this lesson had been learned earlier hellip
4 Community attitudes to public deceit
In contrast to our tolerance for a little private cheating as a community
we are usually censorious about fake behaviour or products or other
deception where we have least real control Politicians are widely
regarded as having morals lower than a grass snake and abused in their
physical absence accordingly (see the outstanding analysis by Warick
Smith 2014 Parts 1 2 amp 3 also Lyon 2013 Milman 2014)
Companies are not even human and can therefore both act without
regard to the public interest and expect to be targeted by the public for
infractions but have teams of lawyers to avoid real consequences (eg
see Ferguson 2014abcd Yeates 2014 West 2013 amp 2014 Planet
Plutocrat 2014 Liptak 2014 Lawrence 2014 Kanamori 2014 Davey
2013 Adonis 2013 Featherstone 2014) Indeed those who expose
corporate and institutional malfeasance whistle blowers are the ones
most at risk (MCT 2013 Pascoe 2014 Remeikis 2013 Donna 2010 and
of course the pursuit by power elites of individuals who have exposed the
worldwide mass surveillance recently of whole populations in the name of
ldquosecurityrdquo)
Mischief from the dog that didnrsquot bark the general idea of laws or rules is
usually that certain things are forbidden but that otherwise the legal
agent human or institutional is free to act and profit from the
environment (Contra a wry Chinese person once explained to me that in
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
6
the PRC everything not explicitly allowed by law was forbidden) The free
range idea gives rise to whole industries and professions some of which
in common parlance would probably qualify as fake deceptive anti-
social against the public interest and so on Lawyers feed in these rich
pastures Tax avoidance is an example which quickly comes to mind
Parts of fringe medicine might be another
Some features of modern organizational life almost seemed designed to
encourage adherence to the letter but not the spirit of fair play I am
thinking here of compliance regimes which deal in ever more minute
detail with tick-box requirements Such requirements sometimes can and
do save lives ndash as for example in hospital safety routines Yet compliance
framers often overlook critical features of human psychology
Where good judgement and experience were once needed and valued
dogmatic but simple minded compliance requirements can give an false
illusion of tasks well-done and actually provide worm holes for the lazy or
ill-intentioned to escape responsibility I have seen a lot of this in mass
education institutions Anything to do with money is a honey pot for sly
deception For example a little research on the accountancy auditing
industry will throw up damaging and persistent instances of compliance
requirements ruthlessly warped (West 2014a 2014b 2013) The net
effect of cynically exploited compliance routines can be to undermine
public trust in institutions
Since actual humans have to work in the sometimes toxic environs of
companies and institutions institutional staff might also accumulate
certain company or institutional cultural attributes of deceit (Alexander
2013 Burns 2014 McKenzie 2013 Schnurer 2013 Simons 2014 Wilkins
2014 Yiu 2014)
As relatively free agents professionals are expected to act with probity
Where they fail the interests of clients through fake fraud or other
deception the penalties are supposed to be severe The reality may be
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
7
something else (See Silva 2014 Shaw 2014 Rushton 2013 Medew
2012 McCoy 2014 Freedman 2012 Ferguson 2014ab Cosslett 2013
Duffin 2013 RT Novosti News 2013 Travellercom 2011 Yim 2011
Onishi 2014)
One interesting feature of professional failure is that fake qualifications
+ actual operational competence is considered outrageous and may
earn jail time (Bloomberg News 2014 Duffin 2013) On the other hand
appropriate qualifications + operational incompetence or even
fakery tends to be seen as a sad but common feature of the human
condition usually censored by little more than a loss of business or
reputation if that (Briffa 2012 Freedman 2012)
5 Paradoxes of belief and underestimation
In the never ending acceleration of our ever more complicated civilization
the largest part of what we ldquoknowrdquo comes from what somebody else told
us For wiser individuals such knowing is forever conditional and tested
again and again against outcomes over a lifetime That is what scientific
method is supposed to be about yet even amongst scientists it is a
minority habit
For most people most of the time information is accepted as knowledge if
the giver has some kind of authority The mechanic is supposed to know
best about mechanics the lawyer about law the doctor about medicine
and the professor about his specialization If it is printed in a book the
credibility of the information is multiplied
When we look at actual outcomes such common faith in authority is very
very often misplaced To challenge it is to invite not only doubt about the
challenger but often hostility as well
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
8
My particular childhood environment in a poor and itinerant family
probably had a good deal to do with early and lifelong scepticism about
the claims of authority No doubt that scepticism has kept me an outsider
and for the most part an automatically discredited outsider From time to
time of course I have been wrong and the authority of the moment has
been right or partly right But where I have been right the rightness was
frequently resented as posing a threat or not coming from a worthy
source Nowadays as one embellished with a PhD the contempt is more
muted yet the owner has not become more nor less wise and the
doctorate is irrelevant to most of what turns up in my writing It often
seems that brand and reputation is everything not the worth of a
proposition There is nothing unique about this situation For 1500 years
the wise men of Europe told each other that the sun revolved about the
earth and were eager to incinerate anyone who suggested otherwise
The point of the paragraphs above is that faking belief in the accepted
wisdom of the day (when faking is needed) and publicly admiring those
who disseminate it is probably the surest path to worldly success It
helps enormously if your mind is not critical enough to see the flaws in
the accepted wisdom of the day You will be a true believer and feted
above all others My handicap has been a moral inability to play this kind
of faking game Put it down to poor upbringing Some cultures make the
whole process rather easier by formally creating private and public
behaviour roles Within the boundaries of these roles even conflicting
beliefs may be played out with appropriate enthusiasm The Japanese
distinction of honne (true feelings) and tatemae (public faccedilade) is a good
example
6 The invincible shields of status reputation and qualifications
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
2
forelocks and say humbly that the Lord is my shepherd then promise
not to stray That is might was right and explained as the just order of
things However this was a bit discouraging for those out of luck
When self-help books started arriving their first and biggest market
turned out to be giving the depressed sheeple permission to fake-it-till-
they-made-it whatever making it might mean to them In relative
modernity an early starter in this line of woo was the Reverent Vincent
Peale with his The Power of Positive Thinking (1952) He must have
been onto something because it is still selling and has countless
imitators For every action there is also a reaction ndash now even an anti-
positive thinking movement (Ehrenreich 2010)
Faking it to make it is all very well almost old fashioned A harder trick
may be to fake it to keep making it Think of the legions of middle aged
workers who sincerely hate their jobs but have to fake wanting to be
there since therersquos not a snowflakersquos chance in hell they will ever get
another job (Courtenay 2014) The same might be said for countless
soured marriages preserved for the sake of children And then we have
those at the top of their game but scared of falling over At President
Barrack Obamarsquos inauguration ceremony in 2009 the marines honour
band pretended to play while their own pre-recorded performance came
over the loudspeakers The performer Beyonce sang flawlessly um
well she actually lip-synched her own pre-recorded voice (Younge 2013)
And the President of course spoke movingly hellip reading from an autocue
out of sight from the TV cameras So where are the borders of reality
now We live in a haze of manicured virtual relationships (May 2013b
ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo)
Of course anyone who is not pathologically naive and who has
encountered the corporate-speak of todays urban living knows that the
fake-it meme is already in the DNA of most institutional critters large and
small The only news is that this virus might also be deployed by bus
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
3
drivers and check-out girls With this in mind the essay takes the fake-it
topic beyond some simple self-trickery sold as positive thinking and looks
at various extended mutations inside and outside of the law The reading
list reflects this
2 The shifting sands of moral judgement on deception
One interesting issue is the red lines of acceptability and the green lines
of um-OK which people set up in their minds when coping with
deceitfakeryfraud etc Ive personally come to the conclusion that while
we assume that others share our red and green lines in behavioural
practice there is only very limited consensus about what is or is not OK in
matters of deception This can be even be played upon in the mass media
when people are socially and professionally lured into admitting or
inventing transgressions for public entertainment (Younge 2013)
Although Irsquom a lousy faker myself my own gold standard for moral
judgements is whether the deceit was done with good intentions and
whether self or others are likely to be hurt or helped by the act That is a
judgement call and not always easy to make
3 Acceptable ranges of personal deception
The most generous concessions we make to testing the limits of fakery
are those we apply to our own needs and failings Everyone wants to be a
hero in their own movie It tends to work outwards from there to family
intimate partners friends acquaintances and so on At this proximity we
may be direct though not vicious in calling out a deception in those we
know well or we may joke about it In fact we may culturally expect a
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
4
plain girl to wear makeup or a man to barrack for a football team he
privately cares nothing about
When life seems especially grim or hopeless we may conjure up and
project a degree of illusion (or self-delusion) about a nicer future on the
principle that all the world loves a winner so given sufficient chutzpah it
can all come true The personally timid depressed angry or fearful
individual may be persuaded to put on a happy and confident face to help
with future realities Apparently this actually does change outcomes at
least some of the time and has spawned the aforementioned deluge of
self-help books and courses It has also spawned many work
environments of fake and therefore stressful bonhomie We may not be
entirely persuaded when the shop assistant with deadpan eyes says ldquohave
a happy dayrdquo
At the personal level deception may be entirely private (self-deception)
or it may be to coolly present a certain invented persona socially or
professionally or it may involve self-deception for the purpose of public
deception
The propagandistrsquos first target is himherself Smith (2014) notes that
effective politicians endeavour to persuade themselves of causes whether
or not the causes are credible The same is true of any salesman I once
had a very brief career cold calling to sell typewriter ribbons and carbon
papers I was an abject failure being quite unable to convince myself or
my hoped-for customers that the products were of value Yet the
promiscuous promises and deceptions of sales talk can be intoxicating for
some who make a career of it
Deception is usually thought of as raising expectations falsely
However it may also be used to lower expectations Keeping a low
profile disarms possible attack Showing apparent weakness may mislead
a competitor into careless error Ambiguous agreement leaves no space
for counter-argument And so on Even as a private game this technique
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
5
can yield a certain kind of empowerment The only job interviews I have
ever managed well were those where I persuaded myself that the
outcome didnrsquot matter terribly much after all Wanting something too
much can be a severe handicap In retrospect I might have had more
luck with romance if this lesson had been learned earlier hellip
4 Community attitudes to public deceit
In contrast to our tolerance for a little private cheating as a community
we are usually censorious about fake behaviour or products or other
deception where we have least real control Politicians are widely
regarded as having morals lower than a grass snake and abused in their
physical absence accordingly (see the outstanding analysis by Warick
Smith 2014 Parts 1 2 amp 3 also Lyon 2013 Milman 2014)
Companies are not even human and can therefore both act without
regard to the public interest and expect to be targeted by the public for
infractions but have teams of lawyers to avoid real consequences (eg
see Ferguson 2014abcd Yeates 2014 West 2013 amp 2014 Planet
Plutocrat 2014 Liptak 2014 Lawrence 2014 Kanamori 2014 Davey
2013 Adonis 2013 Featherstone 2014) Indeed those who expose
corporate and institutional malfeasance whistle blowers are the ones
most at risk (MCT 2013 Pascoe 2014 Remeikis 2013 Donna 2010 and
of course the pursuit by power elites of individuals who have exposed the
worldwide mass surveillance recently of whole populations in the name of
ldquosecurityrdquo)
Mischief from the dog that didnrsquot bark the general idea of laws or rules is
usually that certain things are forbidden but that otherwise the legal
agent human or institutional is free to act and profit from the
environment (Contra a wry Chinese person once explained to me that in
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
6
the PRC everything not explicitly allowed by law was forbidden) The free
range idea gives rise to whole industries and professions some of which
in common parlance would probably qualify as fake deceptive anti-
social against the public interest and so on Lawyers feed in these rich
pastures Tax avoidance is an example which quickly comes to mind
Parts of fringe medicine might be another
Some features of modern organizational life almost seemed designed to
encourage adherence to the letter but not the spirit of fair play I am
thinking here of compliance regimes which deal in ever more minute
detail with tick-box requirements Such requirements sometimes can and
do save lives ndash as for example in hospital safety routines Yet compliance
framers often overlook critical features of human psychology
Where good judgement and experience were once needed and valued
dogmatic but simple minded compliance requirements can give an false
illusion of tasks well-done and actually provide worm holes for the lazy or
ill-intentioned to escape responsibility I have seen a lot of this in mass
education institutions Anything to do with money is a honey pot for sly
deception For example a little research on the accountancy auditing
industry will throw up damaging and persistent instances of compliance
requirements ruthlessly warped (West 2014a 2014b 2013) The net
effect of cynically exploited compliance routines can be to undermine
public trust in institutions
Since actual humans have to work in the sometimes toxic environs of
companies and institutions institutional staff might also accumulate
certain company or institutional cultural attributes of deceit (Alexander
2013 Burns 2014 McKenzie 2013 Schnurer 2013 Simons 2014 Wilkins
2014 Yiu 2014)
As relatively free agents professionals are expected to act with probity
Where they fail the interests of clients through fake fraud or other
deception the penalties are supposed to be severe The reality may be
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
7
something else (See Silva 2014 Shaw 2014 Rushton 2013 Medew
2012 McCoy 2014 Freedman 2012 Ferguson 2014ab Cosslett 2013
Duffin 2013 RT Novosti News 2013 Travellercom 2011 Yim 2011
Onishi 2014)
One interesting feature of professional failure is that fake qualifications
+ actual operational competence is considered outrageous and may
earn jail time (Bloomberg News 2014 Duffin 2013) On the other hand
appropriate qualifications + operational incompetence or even
fakery tends to be seen as a sad but common feature of the human
condition usually censored by little more than a loss of business or
reputation if that (Briffa 2012 Freedman 2012)
5 Paradoxes of belief and underestimation
In the never ending acceleration of our ever more complicated civilization
the largest part of what we ldquoknowrdquo comes from what somebody else told
us For wiser individuals such knowing is forever conditional and tested
again and again against outcomes over a lifetime That is what scientific
method is supposed to be about yet even amongst scientists it is a
minority habit
For most people most of the time information is accepted as knowledge if
the giver has some kind of authority The mechanic is supposed to know
best about mechanics the lawyer about law the doctor about medicine
and the professor about his specialization If it is printed in a book the
credibility of the information is multiplied
When we look at actual outcomes such common faith in authority is very
very often misplaced To challenge it is to invite not only doubt about the
challenger but often hostility as well
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
8
My particular childhood environment in a poor and itinerant family
probably had a good deal to do with early and lifelong scepticism about
the claims of authority No doubt that scepticism has kept me an outsider
and for the most part an automatically discredited outsider From time to
time of course I have been wrong and the authority of the moment has
been right or partly right But where I have been right the rightness was
frequently resented as posing a threat or not coming from a worthy
source Nowadays as one embellished with a PhD the contempt is more
muted yet the owner has not become more nor less wise and the
doctorate is irrelevant to most of what turns up in my writing It often
seems that brand and reputation is everything not the worth of a
proposition There is nothing unique about this situation For 1500 years
the wise men of Europe told each other that the sun revolved about the
earth and were eager to incinerate anyone who suggested otherwise
The point of the paragraphs above is that faking belief in the accepted
wisdom of the day (when faking is needed) and publicly admiring those
who disseminate it is probably the surest path to worldly success It
helps enormously if your mind is not critical enough to see the flaws in
the accepted wisdom of the day You will be a true believer and feted
above all others My handicap has been a moral inability to play this kind
of faking game Put it down to poor upbringing Some cultures make the
whole process rather easier by formally creating private and public
behaviour roles Within the boundaries of these roles even conflicting
beliefs may be played out with appropriate enthusiasm The Japanese
distinction of honne (true feelings) and tatemae (public faccedilade) is a good
example
6 The invincible shields of status reputation and qualifications
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
3
drivers and check-out girls With this in mind the essay takes the fake-it
topic beyond some simple self-trickery sold as positive thinking and looks
at various extended mutations inside and outside of the law The reading
list reflects this
2 The shifting sands of moral judgement on deception
One interesting issue is the red lines of acceptability and the green lines
of um-OK which people set up in their minds when coping with
deceitfakeryfraud etc Ive personally come to the conclusion that while
we assume that others share our red and green lines in behavioural
practice there is only very limited consensus about what is or is not OK in
matters of deception This can be even be played upon in the mass media
when people are socially and professionally lured into admitting or
inventing transgressions for public entertainment (Younge 2013)
Although Irsquom a lousy faker myself my own gold standard for moral
judgements is whether the deceit was done with good intentions and
whether self or others are likely to be hurt or helped by the act That is a
judgement call and not always easy to make
3 Acceptable ranges of personal deception
The most generous concessions we make to testing the limits of fakery
are those we apply to our own needs and failings Everyone wants to be a
hero in their own movie It tends to work outwards from there to family
intimate partners friends acquaintances and so on At this proximity we
may be direct though not vicious in calling out a deception in those we
know well or we may joke about it In fact we may culturally expect a
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
4
plain girl to wear makeup or a man to barrack for a football team he
privately cares nothing about
When life seems especially grim or hopeless we may conjure up and
project a degree of illusion (or self-delusion) about a nicer future on the
principle that all the world loves a winner so given sufficient chutzpah it
can all come true The personally timid depressed angry or fearful
individual may be persuaded to put on a happy and confident face to help
with future realities Apparently this actually does change outcomes at
least some of the time and has spawned the aforementioned deluge of
self-help books and courses It has also spawned many work
environments of fake and therefore stressful bonhomie We may not be
entirely persuaded when the shop assistant with deadpan eyes says ldquohave
a happy dayrdquo
At the personal level deception may be entirely private (self-deception)
or it may be to coolly present a certain invented persona socially or
professionally or it may involve self-deception for the purpose of public
deception
The propagandistrsquos first target is himherself Smith (2014) notes that
effective politicians endeavour to persuade themselves of causes whether
or not the causes are credible The same is true of any salesman I once
had a very brief career cold calling to sell typewriter ribbons and carbon
papers I was an abject failure being quite unable to convince myself or
my hoped-for customers that the products were of value Yet the
promiscuous promises and deceptions of sales talk can be intoxicating for
some who make a career of it
Deception is usually thought of as raising expectations falsely
However it may also be used to lower expectations Keeping a low
profile disarms possible attack Showing apparent weakness may mislead
a competitor into careless error Ambiguous agreement leaves no space
for counter-argument And so on Even as a private game this technique
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
5
can yield a certain kind of empowerment The only job interviews I have
ever managed well were those where I persuaded myself that the
outcome didnrsquot matter terribly much after all Wanting something too
much can be a severe handicap In retrospect I might have had more
luck with romance if this lesson had been learned earlier hellip
4 Community attitudes to public deceit
In contrast to our tolerance for a little private cheating as a community
we are usually censorious about fake behaviour or products or other
deception where we have least real control Politicians are widely
regarded as having morals lower than a grass snake and abused in their
physical absence accordingly (see the outstanding analysis by Warick
Smith 2014 Parts 1 2 amp 3 also Lyon 2013 Milman 2014)
Companies are not even human and can therefore both act without
regard to the public interest and expect to be targeted by the public for
infractions but have teams of lawyers to avoid real consequences (eg
see Ferguson 2014abcd Yeates 2014 West 2013 amp 2014 Planet
Plutocrat 2014 Liptak 2014 Lawrence 2014 Kanamori 2014 Davey
2013 Adonis 2013 Featherstone 2014) Indeed those who expose
corporate and institutional malfeasance whistle blowers are the ones
most at risk (MCT 2013 Pascoe 2014 Remeikis 2013 Donna 2010 and
of course the pursuit by power elites of individuals who have exposed the
worldwide mass surveillance recently of whole populations in the name of
ldquosecurityrdquo)
Mischief from the dog that didnrsquot bark the general idea of laws or rules is
usually that certain things are forbidden but that otherwise the legal
agent human or institutional is free to act and profit from the
environment (Contra a wry Chinese person once explained to me that in
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
6
the PRC everything not explicitly allowed by law was forbidden) The free
range idea gives rise to whole industries and professions some of which
in common parlance would probably qualify as fake deceptive anti-
social against the public interest and so on Lawyers feed in these rich
pastures Tax avoidance is an example which quickly comes to mind
Parts of fringe medicine might be another
Some features of modern organizational life almost seemed designed to
encourage adherence to the letter but not the spirit of fair play I am
thinking here of compliance regimes which deal in ever more minute
detail with tick-box requirements Such requirements sometimes can and
do save lives ndash as for example in hospital safety routines Yet compliance
framers often overlook critical features of human psychology
Where good judgement and experience were once needed and valued
dogmatic but simple minded compliance requirements can give an false
illusion of tasks well-done and actually provide worm holes for the lazy or
ill-intentioned to escape responsibility I have seen a lot of this in mass
education institutions Anything to do with money is a honey pot for sly
deception For example a little research on the accountancy auditing
industry will throw up damaging and persistent instances of compliance
requirements ruthlessly warped (West 2014a 2014b 2013) The net
effect of cynically exploited compliance routines can be to undermine
public trust in institutions
Since actual humans have to work in the sometimes toxic environs of
companies and institutions institutional staff might also accumulate
certain company or institutional cultural attributes of deceit (Alexander
2013 Burns 2014 McKenzie 2013 Schnurer 2013 Simons 2014 Wilkins
2014 Yiu 2014)
As relatively free agents professionals are expected to act with probity
Where they fail the interests of clients through fake fraud or other
deception the penalties are supposed to be severe The reality may be
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
7
something else (See Silva 2014 Shaw 2014 Rushton 2013 Medew
2012 McCoy 2014 Freedman 2012 Ferguson 2014ab Cosslett 2013
Duffin 2013 RT Novosti News 2013 Travellercom 2011 Yim 2011
Onishi 2014)
One interesting feature of professional failure is that fake qualifications
+ actual operational competence is considered outrageous and may
earn jail time (Bloomberg News 2014 Duffin 2013) On the other hand
appropriate qualifications + operational incompetence or even
fakery tends to be seen as a sad but common feature of the human
condition usually censored by little more than a loss of business or
reputation if that (Briffa 2012 Freedman 2012)
5 Paradoxes of belief and underestimation
In the never ending acceleration of our ever more complicated civilization
the largest part of what we ldquoknowrdquo comes from what somebody else told
us For wiser individuals such knowing is forever conditional and tested
again and again against outcomes over a lifetime That is what scientific
method is supposed to be about yet even amongst scientists it is a
minority habit
For most people most of the time information is accepted as knowledge if
the giver has some kind of authority The mechanic is supposed to know
best about mechanics the lawyer about law the doctor about medicine
and the professor about his specialization If it is printed in a book the
credibility of the information is multiplied
When we look at actual outcomes such common faith in authority is very
very often misplaced To challenge it is to invite not only doubt about the
challenger but often hostility as well
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
8
My particular childhood environment in a poor and itinerant family
probably had a good deal to do with early and lifelong scepticism about
the claims of authority No doubt that scepticism has kept me an outsider
and for the most part an automatically discredited outsider From time to
time of course I have been wrong and the authority of the moment has
been right or partly right But where I have been right the rightness was
frequently resented as posing a threat or not coming from a worthy
source Nowadays as one embellished with a PhD the contempt is more
muted yet the owner has not become more nor less wise and the
doctorate is irrelevant to most of what turns up in my writing It often
seems that brand and reputation is everything not the worth of a
proposition There is nothing unique about this situation For 1500 years
the wise men of Europe told each other that the sun revolved about the
earth and were eager to incinerate anyone who suggested otherwise
The point of the paragraphs above is that faking belief in the accepted
wisdom of the day (when faking is needed) and publicly admiring those
who disseminate it is probably the surest path to worldly success It
helps enormously if your mind is not critical enough to see the flaws in
the accepted wisdom of the day You will be a true believer and feted
above all others My handicap has been a moral inability to play this kind
of faking game Put it down to poor upbringing Some cultures make the
whole process rather easier by formally creating private and public
behaviour roles Within the boundaries of these roles even conflicting
beliefs may be played out with appropriate enthusiasm The Japanese
distinction of honne (true feelings) and tatemae (public faccedilade) is a good
example
6 The invincible shields of status reputation and qualifications
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
4
plain girl to wear makeup or a man to barrack for a football team he
privately cares nothing about
When life seems especially grim or hopeless we may conjure up and
project a degree of illusion (or self-delusion) about a nicer future on the
principle that all the world loves a winner so given sufficient chutzpah it
can all come true The personally timid depressed angry or fearful
individual may be persuaded to put on a happy and confident face to help
with future realities Apparently this actually does change outcomes at
least some of the time and has spawned the aforementioned deluge of
self-help books and courses It has also spawned many work
environments of fake and therefore stressful bonhomie We may not be
entirely persuaded when the shop assistant with deadpan eyes says ldquohave
a happy dayrdquo
At the personal level deception may be entirely private (self-deception)
or it may be to coolly present a certain invented persona socially or
professionally or it may involve self-deception for the purpose of public
deception
The propagandistrsquos first target is himherself Smith (2014) notes that
effective politicians endeavour to persuade themselves of causes whether
or not the causes are credible The same is true of any salesman I once
had a very brief career cold calling to sell typewriter ribbons and carbon
papers I was an abject failure being quite unable to convince myself or
my hoped-for customers that the products were of value Yet the
promiscuous promises and deceptions of sales talk can be intoxicating for
some who make a career of it
Deception is usually thought of as raising expectations falsely
However it may also be used to lower expectations Keeping a low
profile disarms possible attack Showing apparent weakness may mislead
a competitor into careless error Ambiguous agreement leaves no space
for counter-argument And so on Even as a private game this technique
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
5
can yield a certain kind of empowerment The only job interviews I have
ever managed well were those where I persuaded myself that the
outcome didnrsquot matter terribly much after all Wanting something too
much can be a severe handicap In retrospect I might have had more
luck with romance if this lesson had been learned earlier hellip
4 Community attitudes to public deceit
In contrast to our tolerance for a little private cheating as a community
we are usually censorious about fake behaviour or products or other
deception where we have least real control Politicians are widely
regarded as having morals lower than a grass snake and abused in their
physical absence accordingly (see the outstanding analysis by Warick
Smith 2014 Parts 1 2 amp 3 also Lyon 2013 Milman 2014)
Companies are not even human and can therefore both act without
regard to the public interest and expect to be targeted by the public for
infractions but have teams of lawyers to avoid real consequences (eg
see Ferguson 2014abcd Yeates 2014 West 2013 amp 2014 Planet
Plutocrat 2014 Liptak 2014 Lawrence 2014 Kanamori 2014 Davey
2013 Adonis 2013 Featherstone 2014) Indeed those who expose
corporate and institutional malfeasance whistle blowers are the ones
most at risk (MCT 2013 Pascoe 2014 Remeikis 2013 Donna 2010 and
of course the pursuit by power elites of individuals who have exposed the
worldwide mass surveillance recently of whole populations in the name of
ldquosecurityrdquo)
Mischief from the dog that didnrsquot bark the general idea of laws or rules is
usually that certain things are forbidden but that otherwise the legal
agent human or institutional is free to act and profit from the
environment (Contra a wry Chinese person once explained to me that in
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
6
the PRC everything not explicitly allowed by law was forbidden) The free
range idea gives rise to whole industries and professions some of which
in common parlance would probably qualify as fake deceptive anti-
social against the public interest and so on Lawyers feed in these rich
pastures Tax avoidance is an example which quickly comes to mind
Parts of fringe medicine might be another
Some features of modern organizational life almost seemed designed to
encourage adherence to the letter but not the spirit of fair play I am
thinking here of compliance regimes which deal in ever more minute
detail with tick-box requirements Such requirements sometimes can and
do save lives ndash as for example in hospital safety routines Yet compliance
framers often overlook critical features of human psychology
Where good judgement and experience were once needed and valued
dogmatic but simple minded compliance requirements can give an false
illusion of tasks well-done and actually provide worm holes for the lazy or
ill-intentioned to escape responsibility I have seen a lot of this in mass
education institutions Anything to do with money is a honey pot for sly
deception For example a little research on the accountancy auditing
industry will throw up damaging and persistent instances of compliance
requirements ruthlessly warped (West 2014a 2014b 2013) The net
effect of cynically exploited compliance routines can be to undermine
public trust in institutions
Since actual humans have to work in the sometimes toxic environs of
companies and institutions institutional staff might also accumulate
certain company or institutional cultural attributes of deceit (Alexander
2013 Burns 2014 McKenzie 2013 Schnurer 2013 Simons 2014 Wilkins
2014 Yiu 2014)
As relatively free agents professionals are expected to act with probity
Where they fail the interests of clients through fake fraud or other
deception the penalties are supposed to be severe The reality may be
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
7
something else (See Silva 2014 Shaw 2014 Rushton 2013 Medew
2012 McCoy 2014 Freedman 2012 Ferguson 2014ab Cosslett 2013
Duffin 2013 RT Novosti News 2013 Travellercom 2011 Yim 2011
Onishi 2014)
One interesting feature of professional failure is that fake qualifications
+ actual operational competence is considered outrageous and may
earn jail time (Bloomberg News 2014 Duffin 2013) On the other hand
appropriate qualifications + operational incompetence or even
fakery tends to be seen as a sad but common feature of the human
condition usually censored by little more than a loss of business or
reputation if that (Briffa 2012 Freedman 2012)
5 Paradoxes of belief and underestimation
In the never ending acceleration of our ever more complicated civilization
the largest part of what we ldquoknowrdquo comes from what somebody else told
us For wiser individuals such knowing is forever conditional and tested
again and again against outcomes over a lifetime That is what scientific
method is supposed to be about yet even amongst scientists it is a
minority habit
For most people most of the time information is accepted as knowledge if
the giver has some kind of authority The mechanic is supposed to know
best about mechanics the lawyer about law the doctor about medicine
and the professor about his specialization If it is printed in a book the
credibility of the information is multiplied
When we look at actual outcomes such common faith in authority is very
very often misplaced To challenge it is to invite not only doubt about the
challenger but often hostility as well
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
8
My particular childhood environment in a poor and itinerant family
probably had a good deal to do with early and lifelong scepticism about
the claims of authority No doubt that scepticism has kept me an outsider
and for the most part an automatically discredited outsider From time to
time of course I have been wrong and the authority of the moment has
been right or partly right But where I have been right the rightness was
frequently resented as posing a threat or not coming from a worthy
source Nowadays as one embellished with a PhD the contempt is more
muted yet the owner has not become more nor less wise and the
doctorate is irrelevant to most of what turns up in my writing It often
seems that brand and reputation is everything not the worth of a
proposition There is nothing unique about this situation For 1500 years
the wise men of Europe told each other that the sun revolved about the
earth and were eager to incinerate anyone who suggested otherwise
The point of the paragraphs above is that faking belief in the accepted
wisdom of the day (when faking is needed) and publicly admiring those
who disseminate it is probably the surest path to worldly success It
helps enormously if your mind is not critical enough to see the flaws in
the accepted wisdom of the day You will be a true believer and feted
above all others My handicap has been a moral inability to play this kind
of faking game Put it down to poor upbringing Some cultures make the
whole process rather easier by formally creating private and public
behaviour roles Within the boundaries of these roles even conflicting
beliefs may be played out with appropriate enthusiasm The Japanese
distinction of honne (true feelings) and tatemae (public faccedilade) is a good
example
6 The invincible shields of status reputation and qualifications
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
5
can yield a certain kind of empowerment The only job interviews I have
ever managed well were those where I persuaded myself that the
outcome didnrsquot matter terribly much after all Wanting something too
much can be a severe handicap In retrospect I might have had more
luck with romance if this lesson had been learned earlier hellip
4 Community attitudes to public deceit
In contrast to our tolerance for a little private cheating as a community
we are usually censorious about fake behaviour or products or other
deception where we have least real control Politicians are widely
regarded as having morals lower than a grass snake and abused in their
physical absence accordingly (see the outstanding analysis by Warick
Smith 2014 Parts 1 2 amp 3 also Lyon 2013 Milman 2014)
Companies are not even human and can therefore both act without
regard to the public interest and expect to be targeted by the public for
infractions but have teams of lawyers to avoid real consequences (eg
see Ferguson 2014abcd Yeates 2014 West 2013 amp 2014 Planet
Plutocrat 2014 Liptak 2014 Lawrence 2014 Kanamori 2014 Davey
2013 Adonis 2013 Featherstone 2014) Indeed those who expose
corporate and institutional malfeasance whistle blowers are the ones
most at risk (MCT 2013 Pascoe 2014 Remeikis 2013 Donna 2010 and
of course the pursuit by power elites of individuals who have exposed the
worldwide mass surveillance recently of whole populations in the name of
ldquosecurityrdquo)
Mischief from the dog that didnrsquot bark the general idea of laws or rules is
usually that certain things are forbidden but that otherwise the legal
agent human or institutional is free to act and profit from the
environment (Contra a wry Chinese person once explained to me that in
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
6
the PRC everything not explicitly allowed by law was forbidden) The free
range idea gives rise to whole industries and professions some of which
in common parlance would probably qualify as fake deceptive anti-
social against the public interest and so on Lawyers feed in these rich
pastures Tax avoidance is an example which quickly comes to mind
Parts of fringe medicine might be another
Some features of modern organizational life almost seemed designed to
encourage adherence to the letter but not the spirit of fair play I am
thinking here of compliance regimes which deal in ever more minute
detail with tick-box requirements Such requirements sometimes can and
do save lives ndash as for example in hospital safety routines Yet compliance
framers often overlook critical features of human psychology
Where good judgement and experience were once needed and valued
dogmatic but simple minded compliance requirements can give an false
illusion of tasks well-done and actually provide worm holes for the lazy or
ill-intentioned to escape responsibility I have seen a lot of this in mass
education institutions Anything to do with money is a honey pot for sly
deception For example a little research on the accountancy auditing
industry will throw up damaging and persistent instances of compliance
requirements ruthlessly warped (West 2014a 2014b 2013) The net
effect of cynically exploited compliance routines can be to undermine
public trust in institutions
Since actual humans have to work in the sometimes toxic environs of
companies and institutions institutional staff might also accumulate
certain company or institutional cultural attributes of deceit (Alexander
2013 Burns 2014 McKenzie 2013 Schnurer 2013 Simons 2014 Wilkins
2014 Yiu 2014)
As relatively free agents professionals are expected to act with probity
Where they fail the interests of clients through fake fraud or other
deception the penalties are supposed to be severe The reality may be
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
7
something else (See Silva 2014 Shaw 2014 Rushton 2013 Medew
2012 McCoy 2014 Freedman 2012 Ferguson 2014ab Cosslett 2013
Duffin 2013 RT Novosti News 2013 Travellercom 2011 Yim 2011
Onishi 2014)
One interesting feature of professional failure is that fake qualifications
+ actual operational competence is considered outrageous and may
earn jail time (Bloomberg News 2014 Duffin 2013) On the other hand
appropriate qualifications + operational incompetence or even
fakery tends to be seen as a sad but common feature of the human
condition usually censored by little more than a loss of business or
reputation if that (Briffa 2012 Freedman 2012)
5 Paradoxes of belief and underestimation
In the never ending acceleration of our ever more complicated civilization
the largest part of what we ldquoknowrdquo comes from what somebody else told
us For wiser individuals such knowing is forever conditional and tested
again and again against outcomes over a lifetime That is what scientific
method is supposed to be about yet even amongst scientists it is a
minority habit
For most people most of the time information is accepted as knowledge if
the giver has some kind of authority The mechanic is supposed to know
best about mechanics the lawyer about law the doctor about medicine
and the professor about his specialization If it is printed in a book the
credibility of the information is multiplied
When we look at actual outcomes such common faith in authority is very
very often misplaced To challenge it is to invite not only doubt about the
challenger but often hostility as well
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
8
My particular childhood environment in a poor and itinerant family
probably had a good deal to do with early and lifelong scepticism about
the claims of authority No doubt that scepticism has kept me an outsider
and for the most part an automatically discredited outsider From time to
time of course I have been wrong and the authority of the moment has
been right or partly right But where I have been right the rightness was
frequently resented as posing a threat or not coming from a worthy
source Nowadays as one embellished with a PhD the contempt is more
muted yet the owner has not become more nor less wise and the
doctorate is irrelevant to most of what turns up in my writing It often
seems that brand and reputation is everything not the worth of a
proposition There is nothing unique about this situation For 1500 years
the wise men of Europe told each other that the sun revolved about the
earth and were eager to incinerate anyone who suggested otherwise
The point of the paragraphs above is that faking belief in the accepted
wisdom of the day (when faking is needed) and publicly admiring those
who disseminate it is probably the surest path to worldly success It
helps enormously if your mind is not critical enough to see the flaws in
the accepted wisdom of the day You will be a true believer and feted
above all others My handicap has been a moral inability to play this kind
of faking game Put it down to poor upbringing Some cultures make the
whole process rather easier by formally creating private and public
behaviour roles Within the boundaries of these roles even conflicting
beliefs may be played out with appropriate enthusiasm The Japanese
distinction of honne (true feelings) and tatemae (public faccedilade) is a good
example
6 The invincible shields of status reputation and qualifications
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
6
the PRC everything not explicitly allowed by law was forbidden) The free
range idea gives rise to whole industries and professions some of which
in common parlance would probably qualify as fake deceptive anti-
social against the public interest and so on Lawyers feed in these rich
pastures Tax avoidance is an example which quickly comes to mind
Parts of fringe medicine might be another
Some features of modern organizational life almost seemed designed to
encourage adherence to the letter but not the spirit of fair play I am
thinking here of compliance regimes which deal in ever more minute
detail with tick-box requirements Such requirements sometimes can and
do save lives ndash as for example in hospital safety routines Yet compliance
framers often overlook critical features of human psychology
Where good judgement and experience were once needed and valued
dogmatic but simple minded compliance requirements can give an false
illusion of tasks well-done and actually provide worm holes for the lazy or
ill-intentioned to escape responsibility I have seen a lot of this in mass
education institutions Anything to do with money is a honey pot for sly
deception For example a little research on the accountancy auditing
industry will throw up damaging and persistent instances of compliance
requirements ruthlessly warped (West 2014a 2014b 2013) The net
effect of cynically exploited compliance routines can be to undermine
public trust in institutions
Since actual humans have to work in the sometimes toxic environs of
companies and institutions institutional staff might also accumulate
certain company or institutional cultural attributes of deceit (Alexander
2013 Burns 2014 McKenzie 2013 Schnurer 2013 Simons 2014 Wilkins
2014 Yiu 2014)
As relatively free agents professionals are expected to act with probity
Where they fail the interests of clients through fake fraud or other
deception the penalties are supposed to be severe The reality may be
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
7
something else (See Silva 2014 Shaw 2014 Rushton 2013 Medew
2012 McCoy 2014 Freedman 2012 Ferguson 2014ab Cosslett 2013
Duffin 2013 RT Novosti News 2013 Travellercom 2011 Yim 2011
Onishi 2014)
One interesting feature of professional failure is that fake qualifications
+ actual operational competence is considered outrageous and may
earn jail time (Bloomberg News 2014 Duffin 2013) On the other hand
appropriate qualifications + operational incompetence or even
fakery tends to be seen as a sad but common feature of the human
condition usually censored by little more than a loss of business or
reputation if that (Briffa 2012 Freedman 2012)
5 Paradoxes of belief and underestimation
In the never ending acceleration of our ever more complicated civilization
the largest part of what we ldquoknowrdquo comes from what somebody else told
us For wiser individuals such knowing is forever conditional and tested
again and again against outcomes over a lifetime That is what scientific
method is supposed to be about yet even amongst scientists it is a
minority habit
For most people most of the time information is accepted as knowledge if
the giver has some kind of authority The mechanic is supposed to know
best about mechanics the lawyer about law the doctor about medicine
and the professor about his specialization If it is printed in a book the
credibility of the information is multiplied
When we look at actual outcomes such common faith in authority is very
very often misplaced To challenge it is to invite not only doubt about the
challenger but often hostility as well
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
8
My particular childhood environment in a poor and itinerant family
probably had a good deal to do with early and lifelong scepticism about
the claims of authority No doubt that scepticism has kept me an outsider
and for the most part an automatically discredited outsider From time to
time of course I have been wrong and the authority of the moment has
been right or partly right But where I have been right the rightness was
frequently resented as posing a threat or not coming from a worthy
source Nowadays as one embellished with a PhD the contempt is more
muted yet the owner has not become more nor less wise and the
doctorate is irrelevant to most of what turns up in my writing It often
seems that brand and reputation is everything not the worth of a
proposition There is nothing unique about this situation For 1500 years
the wise men of Europe told each other that the sun revolved about the
earth and were eager to incinerate anyone who suggested otherwise
The point of the paragraphs above is that faking belief in the accepted
wisdom of the day (when faking is needed) and publicly admiring those
who disseminate it is probably the surest path to worldly success It
helps enormously if your mind is not critical enough to see the flaws in
the accepted wisdom of the day You will be a true believer and feted
above all others My handicap has been a moral inability to play this kind
of faking game Put it down to poor upbringing Some cultures make the
whole process rather easier by formally creating private and public
behaviour roles Within the boundaries of these roles even conflicting
beliefs may be played out with appropriate enthusiasm The Japanese
distinction of honne (true feelings) and tatemae (public faccedilade) is a good
example
6 The invincible shields of status reputation and qualifications
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
7
something else (See Silva 2014 Shaw 2014 Rushton 2013 Medew
2012 McCoy 2014 Freedman 2012 Ferguson 2014ab Cosslett 2013
Duffin 2013 RT Novosti News 2013 Travellercom 2011 Yim 2011
Onishi 2014)
One interesting feature of professional failure is that fake qualifications
+ actual operational competence is considered outrageous and may
earn jail time (Bloomberg News 2014 Duffin 2013) On the other hand
appropriate qualifications + operational incompetence or even
fakery tends to be seen as a sad but common feature of the human
condition usually censored by little more than a loss of business or
reputation if that (Briffa 2012 Freedman 2012)
5 Paradoxes of belief and underestimation
In the never ending acceleration of our ever more complicated civilization
the largest part of what we ldquoknowrdquo comes from what somebody else told
us For wiser individuals such knowing is forever conditional and tested
again and again against outcomes over a lifetime That is what scientific
method is supposed to be about yet even amongst scientists it is a
minority habit
For most people most of the time information is accepted as knowledge if
the giver has some kind of authority The mechanic is supposed to know
best about mechanics the lawyer about law the doctor about medicine
and the professor about his specialization If it is printed in a book the
credibility of the information is multiplied
When we look at actual outcomes such common faith in authority is very
very often misplaced To challenge it is to invite not only doubt about the
challenger but often hostility as well
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
8
My particular childhood environment in a poor and itinerant family
probably had a good deal to do with early and lifelong scepticism about
the claims of authority No doubt that scepticism has kept me an outsider
and for the most part an automatically discredited outsider From time to
time of course I have been wrong and the authority of the moment has
been right or partly right But where I have been right the rightness was
frequently resented as posing a threat or not coming from a worthy
source Nowadays as one embellished with a PhD the contempt is more
muted yet the owner has not become more nor less wise and the
doctorate is irrelevant to most of what turns up in my writing It often
seems that brand and reputation is everything not the worth of a
proposition There is nothing unique about this situation For 1500 years
the wise men of Europe told each other that the sun revolved about the
earth and were eager to incinerate anyone who suggested otherwise
The point of the paragraphs above is that faking belief in the accepted
wisdom of the day (when faking is needed) and publicly admiring those
who disseminate it is probably the surest path to worldly success It
helps enormously if your mind is not critical enough to see the flaws in
the accepted wisdom of the day You will be a true believer and feted
above all others My handicap has been a moral inability to play this kind
of faking game Put it down to poor upbringing Some cultures make the
whole process rather easier by formally creating private and public
behaviour roles Within the boundaries of these roles even conflicting
beliefs may be played out with appropriate enthusiasm The Japanese
distinction of honne (true feelings) and tatemae (public faccedilade) is a good
example
6 The invincible shields of status reputation and qualifications
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
8
My particular childhood environment in a poor and itinerant family
probably had a good deal to do with early and lifelong scepticism about
the claims of authority No doubt that scepticism has kept me an outsider
and for the most part an automatically discredited outsider From time to
time of course I have been wrong and the authority of the moment has
been right or partly right But where I have been right the rightness was
frequently resented as posing a threat or not coming from a worthy
source Nowadays as one embellished with a PhD the contempt is more
muted yet the owner has not become more nor less wise and the
doctorate is irrelevant to most of what turns up in my writing It often
seems that brand and reputation is everything not the worth of a
proposition There is nothing unique about this situation For 1500 years
the wise men of Europe told each other that the sun revolved about the
earth and were eager to incinerate anyone who suggested otherwise
The point of the paragraphs above is that faking belief in the accepted
wisdom of the day (when faking is needed) and publicly admiring those
who disseminate it is probably the surest path to worldly success It
helps enormously if your mind is not critical enough to see the flaws in
the accepted wisdom of the day You will be a true believer and feted
above all others My handicap has been a moral inability to play this kind
of faking game Put it down to poor upbringing Some cultures make the
whole process rather easier by formally creating private and public
behaviour roles Within the boundaries of these roles even conflicting
beliefs may be played out with appropriate enthusiasm The Japanese
distinction of honne (true feelings) and tatemae (public faccedilade) is a good
example
6 The invincible shields of status reputation and qualifications
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
9
The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently announced that he sometimes
doubts the existence of God and cannot defend belief in this god to non-
believers (Bingham 2014) As leader of the Anglican faith this would
seems a somewhat startling revelation Yet it is unlikely that his position
will be seriously challenged What he represents is as it were too big to
fail Too much social (and financial) capital would be lost if the leaders of
that religion simply packed up and retired to a nearby unemployment
office The interesting thing is that this archbishop no longer feels a need
to fake it As an alter boy or newby priest with ambition he certainly
would not have the liberty of such insouciance
For those who wish to exercise power or to be believed or at least to be
employed any tool which gives them claim to some authority will be
pursued relentlessly That tool may be as crude as a gun or as
pretentious as a job title or as gauche as an academic credential In all of
these cases the temptation to seize the talisman by guile and fakery is
immense
The code word for the firm belief that something is of value to the
individual an organization or a country is confidence and magic
talismans like university degrees are of high value in the confidence
game However any kind of branding ndash even a beer bottle label ndash is
better than no branding Even the value of money depends upon
confidence and that confidence turns on the countryrsquos ldquobrandrdquo or
reputation As this essay has noted already most of our confidence is
founded on accepting the worth of information which is not validated by
personal experience Branding for the uncritical mind is a lazy short cut
for validating indirect knowledge and is therefore an irresistible target for
every level of fakery
Religious confidence may be based on accepting faith itself as a value
beyond challenge A lot of people seem to find that sufficient although
as the Anglican archbishop realized not all Ideology trades on a similar
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
10
approach and is similarly vulnerable As with branding so with the
imprimatur of faith value comes with reputation and reputation while it
may be well earned can just as easily be built of foundations of deceit by
the unscrupulous
The defence of faith against disbelievers and the indifferent many may
depend upon selective quotation from a revered text like the Bible
trading upon the trustfulness of children or targeted social approval and
rewards for those drawn into the community of the faithful The defence
of faith in an ideology typically follows a similar path to the religious
stratagems but tends to be less durable since the promised rewards are
rarely supernatural In the last resort the defence of faith may well also
entail violence
7 Trust concealment and betrayal from the agents of government
and business
Businesses and most governments have only a limited resort to religion
or ideology as tools to foster faith in their processes As complex
institutions their leaders know that they cannot please everyone all of the
time even with the best of intentions (and historically their intentions
have not always been the best) They must therefore resort to the
manipulation of opinion and the cultivation of desirable ldquoneedsrdquo in their
target populations Advertising public relations the selective release of
information the obsessive collection of information and the reluctance to
share information (usually called ldquosecurityrdquo) are almost universal features
of governments institutions and businesses of all kinds That is the tools
to control public confidence almost always imply a level of deception and
without such tools the institutions are naked as they see it to attack
It is true that the general level of cynicism and its inverse expression
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
11
trust go through cycles in the populations of particular countries National
populations tend to come together in the face of traumatic circumstances
and for a while old doubts and vendettas will be buried to confront a
common enemy or follow a new hope
World War II was a defining experience for huge numbers of people and
in countries as diverse as the UK Germany Australia Japan and South
Korea close observers will confirm that the public values of ordinary
people in the post-war period were markedly different from more recent
generations A similar general shift in psychology can be seen across
generations of people in Russia and China In every case politicians and
sundry carpet-baggers have betrayed nascent public trust and the publicrsquos
willingness to self-sacrifice in conditions which extremely threatened
general welfare In every case cynical self-interest demonstrated by
elites has eventually infected general populations The erosion of trust
and honesty has extraordinarily broad consequences from the quality of
workmanship to the quality of marriages from civic participation to the
ethics of business practice
Perhaps the single most important protection for hard won freedoms and
civil institutions is access to unbiased information Information of public
interest withheld or distorted is direct nourishment for every kind of fraud
and malfeasance and a short step from tyranny Our generation has seen
an exponential growth of information distortion in the public sector the
private sector and then inevitably at the level of personal behaviour
Our personal autonomy and full scope to develop our potentials depend in
many ways on optimum access to unbiased information and the freedom
to challenge accepted truths There will therefore always be a constant
tension between free minds and the secretive objectives of organizations
and their agents The price of liberty is eternal vigilance
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
12
8 The tangled ways of education for profit
At this point I will take a small detour into the murky world of deceit
fraud and general self-delusion which seeps from the cracks in
educational institutions I happen to have had a particularly extended
experience of pursuing academic credentials (in retrospect a foolish
journey travelled with a probably foolish lack of guile) I have also been in
the business of performing those teacher circus tricks which are supposed
to validate academic credentials Along the way I have seen fakery on a
grand scale in seven countries played in an infinitude of ways and
mostly with impunity (eg see May 2006 2008a 2012) The education
process itself is often a simulation supposedly of real life prospects and
the diplomas which accompany it are less claims on past achievement
(dubious as those might be) than as promises of future potential
In this situation it is hardly surprising that possessing the diplomas by
whatever means becomes more important for many (most) aspirants
that whatever mastery of knowledge they claim to guarantee In China
and South Korea where I spent twelve years in tertiary institutions there
is often a scarcely concealed conspiracy between teaching staff and
students ldquoyou pretend to learn and Irsquoll pretend to teachrdquo The cultural
and monetary rewards of the system sustain this fakery In so-called
Western countries such as Australia plagiarism and ghost writing by
students is an ever rising threat yet staff are under enormous pressure to
ignore all but the most blatant instances of such fraud especially as 60
of tertiary teachers are on short term sessional contracts and
consequently neutered in any institutional conflict
Many universities accumulate a long histories of discrimination against
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
13
academics who raise awkward questions about probity although they
prefer not to publicize such events My own alma mater the University of
Newcastle NSW could serve as an example here (Donna Newcastle
Herald 2010) For similar reasons of institutional self-preservation grade
inflation is endemic Universities which are now essentially marketing
organizations have every incentive not to look too hard at the real quality
of teaching and learning My own view is that the whole mass education
process will soon be forced into some massive paradigm shifts the sort of
thing which happens when as an old parable says the king is shown to
have no clothes (see May 2014b)
9 So when have we ldquomade itrdquo anyway
In the restaurant at the end of the universe when all ambition has come
to naught the race is done and nothing is left but to tell of times past
will we embellish our stories and claim to be heroic survivors from events
lost in the mists of time Of course we will For those with brains not
cauterized by TV and virtual lives which forgot to actually live stories are
a nourishment for the soul Stories are built on selective memories and
imagination We tell them to validate ourselves and to please others
Since actual daily experience is apt to be neither so fascinating nor so
kind to our egos as a well told tale we are likely to create a somewhat
fictional account of worlds which might have been That is we fake it and
the faking is well loved
At each stage of a life short term and long term goals mutate As
children we canrsquot properly imagine what is to come Making it in a
playground may mean bluffing a bully while you quake in your boots
Making it as a teenage boy may mean faking street credrsquo as a bad boy
which is what hot chicks seem to want The hot chicks have their own
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
14
versions of deception Stretching out ahead of these tricky beginnings is
the eternal saga of scraping through college bluffing through job
interviews playing the whole repertoire of corporate deceptions to survive
in the shark pool of a career and being tipped into obscurity at fifty as a
has-been
Of course all this fakery may not be what you are about You may play a
straight bat from start to finish Depending on luck intelligence your
good looks your connections the job niche you choose you may be a
scintillating success renowned for never being drawn to the dark side Or
you may be pasted as a naiumlve imbecile There are many kinds of animals
in the forest Which kind are you
Reading list (note that the writers in these links are expressing their
own views We dont necessarily share them)
Adonis James (October 11 2013) Bribery a necessary evil Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessfinanceblogswork-in-progressbribery-a-necessary-evil-
20131010-2vb8shtmlixzz2hMQNXLIw
AFP (September 21 2012) Psychopaths have poor sense of smell
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldpsychopaths-have-poor-sense-
of-smell-20120921-26a7zhtmlixzz274JyM2a1
Alexander Michelle (February 2 2013) Why Police Lie Under Oath New
York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom20130203opinionsundaywhy-police-
officers-lie-under-oathhtmlpagewanted=2ampref=generalampsrc=meamp_r=0
Associated Press (December 1 2013)London mayor Boris Johnson claims
poor have low IQs and greed is good Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldlondon-mayor-boris-johnson-claims-poor-
have-low-iqs-and-greed-is-good-20131130-2yio2htmlixzz2mAfzl5jP
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
15
Battersby Lucy (November 11 2013) Love scams sending $7m a month
to west Africa Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securitylove-scams-
sending-7m-a-month-to-west-africa-20131111-
2xca3htmlixzz2kMvdUeQD
Bingham John (September 19 2014) Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby questions the existence of God Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldarchbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-
questions-the-existence-of-god-20140919-10jaryhtmlixzz3DkI56hxp
Birmingham John (February 14 2013) Three billion reasons why
cheating is rife Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionblogsblunt-instrumentthree-
billion-reasons-why-cheating-is-rife-20130213-
2ed5ihtmlixzz2Kp75NEFM
Blaszczak-Boxe Agata (August 08 2014) Sexting Lies The New Orgasm
Faking LiveScience website online
httpwwwlivesciencecom47254-sexting-lies-are-new-fake-
orgasmhtml
Bloomberg News(September 17 2014) Wal-Mart spokesman resigns
after fibbing about his CV Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessworld-businesswalmart-spokesman-
resigns-after-fibbing-about-his-cv-20140917-10hyf0htmlixzz3DYZtvk3A
Bochenski Natalie (une 30 2014) Doctors not looking after own mental
health Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslanddoctors-not-looking-after-
own-mental-health-20140629-zsq7fhtmlixzz364d7S4kF
Branson-Potts Hailey and Jack Leonard (April 4 2013) Wife of
Rockefeller impostor hired detective to look into his background
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldwife-
of-rockefeller-impostor-hired-detective-to-look-into-his-background-
20130404-2h8wzhtml
Briffa John (January 17th 2012) Donrsquot believe everything you read
(including in scientific journals) Dr John Briffa blog online
httpwwwdrbriffacom20120117dont-believe-everything-you-read-
including-in-scientific-journals
Bucholz Chris (May 19 2012) The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
16
Resume Cracked website online httpwwwcrackedcomblogthe-
6-most-effective-ways-to-lie-your-resume
Burns Robert (February 6 2014) US Navy nuclear force rocked by exam
cheating scandal Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldus-navy-nuclear-force-rocked-by-exam-
cheating-scandal-20140206-3226qhtmlixzz2sUTlYO8z
China Daily (2014-02-28) Asset theft is top economic crime in China
China Daily online httpeuropechinadailycomcnchina2014-
0228content_17311512htm
Connolly Kathleen Groll (nd) Faking It Can Job Applicants Outsmart
Personality Tests Performance Programs Inc website online
httpwwwperformanceprogramscomsurveysCan_Applicants_Outsmar
t_Personality_Testshtml
Cosslett Rhiannon Lucy (10 October 2013) Barrister Dennis ORiordan
was caught out over his phoney credentials He should have just stuck to
I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic employee The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013oct10cv-
lies-dennis-o-riordan-harvard
Courtenay Adam (July 16 2014) Getting a job after 50 Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessgrowinggetting-a-job-after-50-20140411-
36h6ahtmlixzz37aJcZwH0
Davey Melissa (April 6 2013) Drug companies put profits over lives
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthdrug-companies-put-
profits-over-lives-20130406-2hecohtml
Donna Newcastle Herald (2010) ldquoAsking for Troublerdquo Newcastle Herald
online
httpnewsstorefairfaxcomauappsviewDocumentacjsessionid=F2C1B2EF2556A130
B923D75C7AF8C5B2sy=aframppb=all_ffxampdt=selectRangeampdr=1monthampso=relevanceampsf
=textampsf=headlineamprc=10amprm=200ampsp=brsampcls=356ampclsPage=1ampdocID=NCH1005081S
20IGMS9MC
Duff Eamonn (June 1 2014) Jailed surgeon Suresh Nair may be
deported after release Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaunswjailed-surgeon-suresh-nair-may-be-
deported-after-release-20140531-39azchtmlixzz33M0szLSk
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
17
Duffin Claire (May 13 2013) Fake pilot flew Airbus A320 into London
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomautraveltravel-
incidentsfake-pilot-flew-airbus-a320-into-london-20130513-
2jh2qhtmlixzz2TAN1u466
Dunn Claire (July 7 2014) How to spot a fake job ad Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-businesstrendshow-
to-spot-a-fake-job-ad-20140501-37jk2htmlixzz371Tw1us2
Ehrenreich Barbara (2010) Bright-Sided How Positive Thinking Is
Undermining America published by Picador Available online
httpwwwamazoncomBright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-
Americadp0312658850
Featherstone Tony ( April 10 2014) How many job ads are fake
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomausmall-
businessmanagingblogsthe-venturehow-many-job-ads-are-fake-
20140409-36crhhtmlixzz2yTO5RlhC
Ferguson Adele (September 20 2014d) Macquarie Group file shows
cheating on financial adviser exams must be stamped out Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-
and-analysismacquarie-group-file-shows-cheating-on-financial-adviser-
exams-must-be-stamped-out-20140919-10j91ehtml
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (September 20 2014c) Penske File
exposed Macquarie Groups cheat sheet made public Sydney Morning
Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-
financepenske-file-exposed-macquarie-groups-cheat-sheet-made-public-
20140919-10j8yuhtmlixzz3DoEAQfr2
Ferguson Adele (September 19 2014b) Life insurance industry next to
feel ASIC blowtorch Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscomment-and-analysislife-insurance-
industry-next-to-feel-asic-blowtorch-20140918-
10ipw7htmlixzz3DiEM92GU
Ferguson Adele and Ben Butler (August 16 2014a) Cheating rife in
financial planning Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financecheating-rife-in-
financial-planning-20140815-104gknhtmlixzz3AYOfXWKn
Freedman David H (13 February 2012) Lies Damned Lies and Medical
Science - Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
18
misleading exaggerated or flat-out wrong So why are doctorsmdashto a
striking extentmdashstill drawing upon misinformation in their everyday
practice Dr John Ioannidis has spent his career challenging his peers by
exposing their bad science The Atlantic online
httpwwwtheatlanticcommagazinearchive201011lies-damned-lies-
and-medical-science82692
Gigerenzer Gerd (2014) Risk Savvy How to Make Good Decisions
Hardcover [highly recommended] pub Viking Adult Available online
(including ebook format) httpwwwamazoncomRisk-Savvy-Make-
Good-Decisionsdp0670025658
Goodman Nadia (June3 2013) Fake It Until You Make It How to Believe
in Yourself When You Dont Feel Worthy Entrepreneur website online
httpwwwentrepreneurcomarticle226814
Gough Deborah (June 10 2013) Scammers mimic genuine online
retailers The Age online httpwwwtheagecomaudigital-
lifeconsumer-securityscammers-mimic-genuine-online-retailers-
20130610-2nzc3htmlixzz2VrP6OeWZ
Hagan Kate (January 16 2012) Medicare rorts cost $3bn Brisbane
Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalmedicare-
rorts-cost-3bn-20120115-1q1fyhtmlixzz1jZrKfeeR
Harrison Dan (April 23 2014) Crackdown on Medicare rorting by doctors
falls $128 million short Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaufederal-politicspolitical-newscrackdown-on-
medicare-rorting-by-doctors-falls-128-million-short-20140424-
zqy11htmlixzz2zmoCD2Kt
Hyde Marina (7 December 2013) Follow Mandelas example and roar
with laughter at all this rightwing fawning Nelson Mandela not only made
history he did so in such a way that made others ndash from David Cameron
to Elton John ndash want to rewrite their own The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2013dec06follow-nelson-
mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawningCMP=ema_632
Jaksch Mary (2008) Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying Goodlife
Zen website online httpgoodlifezencomwhy-faking-it-can-be-soul-
destroying
Kanamori Mayu (March 28 2014) Flight Centre fined $11m for price
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
19
fixing Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessaviationflight-centre-fined-11m-for-
price-fixing-20140328-35mxthtmlixzz2xDi5MJVO
Katherine Feeney Katherine (October 16 2012) Confessions of a troll
Trolling is an art Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmenttv-and-
radioconfessions-of-a-troll-trolling-is-an-art-20121015-
27n3fhtmlixzz29PhuLE00
Kramer Andrew E (September 3 2013) Viagra spam industry earns
Russian crime gangs tens of millions a year Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaudigital-lifeconsumer-securityviagra-
spam-industry-earns-russian-crime-gangs-tens-of-millions-a-year-
20130903-2t2ayhtmlixzz2dsU2wbGi
Krebs Brian (November 21 2013) Cupid Media hack exposes 42m
passwords Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-prosecurity-itcupid-media-hack-
exposes-42m-passwords-20131121-hv3okhtmlcomments
Lawrence Felicity (8 February 2014) Fake-food scandal revealed as tests
show third of products mislabelled - Consumers are being sold drinks
with banned flame-retardant additives pork in beef and fake cheese
laboratory tests show The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014feb07fake-food-scandal-
revealed-tests-products-mislabelled
Liptak Adam (April 22 2014) Coca-Cola defends pomegranate label to
judge misled by it Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldcocacola-defends-pomegranate-label-to-
judge-misled-by-it-20140425-zqxokhtmlixzz2zwONyBF8
Lyon Santiago (December 13 2013) Obama selfie a reminder of White
House hypocrisy on transparency Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldobama-selfie-a-reminder-of-white-house-
hypocrisy-on-transparency-20131213-hv5jshtmlixzz2nJh1zJTE
Madrid Cienna (November 21 2012) The Lying Disease - Why Would
Someone Want to Fake a Serious Illness on the Internet The Stranger
website online httpwwwthestrangercomseattlethe-lying-
diseaseContentoid=15337239
Martin Lauren (Oct 16 2013) Fake It lsquoTil You Make It How To Bullsht
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
20
Your Way Through Life Elite Daily website online
httpelitedailycomlifehow-to-bullsht-your-way-to-success
Maugham Somerset (1924) The Ant and the Grasshopper Things blog
online httpthings-apblogspotcomau200902ant-and-
grasshopper-william-somersethtml
May Thor (1998) Finding Truth The Human Mind as an Error-Checking
Mechanism The Passionate Skeptic website online
httpthormaynetunwiseideaserrorcheckhtml
May Thor (1999) ldquoBirth of a Salesmanrdquo The Passionate Skeptic website
online httpthormaynetunwiseideassalesmanhtml
May Thor (2003) ldquoThe Case for Favoritismrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online httpthormaynetunwiseideasfavoritismhtml
May Thor (2006) ldquoIs Assessment a Satire - The Conspiracy of South
Kogglebotrdquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu1919347Is_Assessment_a_Satire_-
_The_Conspiracy_of_South_Kogglebot
May Thor (2008a) ldquoCorruption and Other Distortions as Variables in
Language Educationrdquo TESOL Law Journal Vol2 March 2008 direct
online access
httpindependentacademiaeduThorMayPapers1615553Corruption_a
nd_Other_Distortions_as_Variables_in_Language_Education
May Thor (2008b) ldquoThe End of Capitalism is Announcedrdquo Thorrsquos New
China Diary online httpthormaynetChinaDiary2the-end-of-
capitalism-is-announced
May Thor (2012) ldquoHidden Boundaries ndash A Joint-Venture Education
Program in Chinardquo Academiaedu website online
httpswwwacademiaedu2291935Hidden_Boundaries_-_A_Joint-
Venture_Education_Program_in_China
May Thor (2013a) ldquoThe Contest for Competencerdquo Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu1958933The_Contest_for_Competence
May Thor (2013b) ldquoThe 541st Facebook Friendrdquo The Passionate Skeptic
website online
httpthormaynetliteraturetimepassingFacebookFriendhtml
May Thor (2014a) Crime without Punishment ndash the journey from means
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
21
to ends Academiaedu online
httpswwwacademiaedu6807011Crime_without_Punishment_-
_the_journey_from_means_to_ends
May Thor (2014b) The Purpose of Education - a hitchhikers guide to the
galaxy Academiaedu online
httpwwwacademiaedu7976327The_Purpose_of_Education_-
_a_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galaxy
McCoy Terrence (April 2 2014) Rising Japanese scientist faked heralded
stem cell research lab says Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomautechnologysci-techrising-japanese-scientist-
faked-heralded-stem-cell-research-lab-says-20140402-
zqpinhtmlixzz2xg7VwXUp
McKenzie Nick and Richard Baker (October 25 2013) Insiders stole and
leaked secret tender documents Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessinsiders-stole-and-leaked-secret-
tender-documents-20131024-2w4euhtmlixzz2igW1cl9z
MCT (September 8 2013) Lie detector coach jailed Brisbane Times
online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauworldlie-detector-coach-
jailed-20130907-2tbvhhtmlixzz2eFTgJgrg
Medew Julia (July 16 2012) Medical care short of best practice study
Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaunationalhealthmedical-care-short-of-
best-practice-study-20120715-224arhtmlixzz20l9DvAt4
Menkes Justin (July 4 2012) Narcissism The Difference Between High
Achievers and Leaders Harvard Business Review online
httpblogshbrorgcs201207narcissism_the_difference_betwhtml
Milman Oliver (18 September 2014) Budget emergency denied by 63
leading Australian economists The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomworld2014sep18budget-emergency-
denied-by-63-leading-australian-economists
Mueller Paul K (March 20 2014) Computers see through faked
expressions of pain better than people Sourced from Marian Stewart
Bartlett Gwen C Littlewort Mark G Frank Kang Lee Automatic
Decoding of Facial Movements Reveals Deceptive Pain Expressions
Current Biology 2014 DOI 101016jcub201402009 Science Daily
online
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
22
httpwwwsciencedailycomreleases201403140320121902htm
Onishi Norimitsu (August 13 2014) South African MP resigns after
degree questioned Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomauworldsouth-african-mp-resigns-after-degree-
questioned-20140813-103iy0htmlixzz3AG2MlK5H
Parrish Shane (May 28 2014) Just Babies The Origins of Good and
Evil Farnam Street blog online
httpwwwfarnamstreetblogcom201405the-origins-of-good-and-evil
Pascoe Michael (September 19 2014) Free Freya because it vibes all
wrong Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscomment-and-analysisfree-
freya-because-it-vibes-all-wrong-20140918-10izv1html
Peale Norman Vincent 1952) The Power of Positive Thinking Wikipedia
online httpenwikipediaorgwikiNorman_Vincent_Peale
Planet Plutocrat (Mar 15th 2014) The countries where politically
connected businessmen are most likely to prosper The Economist online
httpwwweconomistcomnewsinternational21599041-countries-
where-politically-connected-businessmen-are-most-likely-prosper-planet
Rao Srinivas (nd) Does The ldquoFake It Till You Make Itrdquo Attitude Actually
Work The Skool of Life website online
httptheskooloflifecomwordpressdoes-the-fake-it-till-you-make-it-
attitude-actually-work
Rasmussen Nicolas (7 October 2013) Looking back on the chequered
past of drug trials The Conversation website online
httptheconversationcomlooking-back-on-the-chequered-past-of-drug-
trials-14883
Remeikis Amy (July 5 2013) Moonlight rising Fitzgerald whistleblower
questions reforms Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandmoonlight-rising-
fitzgerald-whistleblower-questions-reforms-20130704-
2pf0whtmlixzz2Y7lfReTD
Ronson Jon (6142011) Why (Some) Psychopaths Make Great CEOs
Forbes Magazine online
httpwwwforbescomsitesjeffbercovici20110614why-some-
psychopaths-make-great-ceos2
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
23
RT Novosti News (December 06 2013) Russian plane crash investigators
probe fake pilot licenses RT Novosti News online
httprtcomnewsfake-pilot-licenses-russia-844
Rushton Katherine (December 9 2013) Wolf of Wall Street Reformed
but far from sheepish Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaumoneyinvestingwolf-of-wall-street-
reformed-but-far-from-sheepish-20131209-2z0wxhtmlixzz2n1S0zpJR
Savulescu Julian (June 17 2012) Label with care - Even those who are
not sick can benefit from medication Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturelabel-with-
care-20120616-20gvvhtmlixzz1y0HOUKFK
Schnurer Eric (Aug 15 2013) Everything You Think You Know About
Government Fraud Is Wrong Government programs from food stamps to
Medicare dont have unusually high fraud rates -- and the culprits are
usually managers and executives not welfare queens Disqus Website
online
httpdisquscomembedcommentsf=theatlanticampt_i=mt278690ampt_u=
http3A2F2Fwwwtheatlanticcom2Fpolitics2Farchive2F2013
2F082Feverything-you-think-you-know-about-government-fraud-is-
wrong2F2786902Fampt_e=Everything20You20Think20You20Kn
ow20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongampt_d=Everythin
g20You20Think20You20Know20About20Government20Fra
ud20Is20Wrongampt_t=Everything20You20Think20You20Know
20About20Government20Fraud20Is20Wrongamps_o=defaultampdisq
us_version=13765885851
Shan Juan (2013-10-24) Cases of scientific misconduct on the rise
China Daily onlinr httpwwwchinadailycomcnchina2013-
1024content_17054369htm
ShawClaire (Friday 4 October 2013) Hundreds of open access journals
accept fake science paper Publishing hoax exposes wild west world of
open access journals and raises concerns about poor quality control The
Guardian online httpwwwtheguardiancomhigher-education-
network2013oct04open-access-journals-fake-
paperCMP=ema_632ampet_cid=51722ampet_rid=8392866ampLinkid=http3a
2f2fwwwtheguardiancom2fhigher-education-
network2f20132foct2f042fopen-access-journals-fake-paper
Silva Kristian (July 11 2014) Brisbane doctor suspended after faking
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
24
letters making lewd comments Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandbrisbane-doctor-
suspended-after-faking-letters-making-lewd-comments-20140710-
zt35lhtmlixzz376nKlC7A
Sim Melissa (Sep 12 2014) Ex-NUS professor in resume fraud scandal
in US Straits Times Singapore online
httpwwwstraitstimescomnewssingaporeeducationstoryex-nus-
prof-resume-fraud-scandal-us-20140912xtor=CS1-10
Simons Jake Wallis (September 17 2014) US Navy-created dark
network lets users buy drugs and child porn and get away with it
Brisbane Times online httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauit-
prosecurity-itus-navycreated-dark-network-lets-users-buy-drugs-and-
child-porn-and-get-away-with-it-20140916-10hisihtml
Smith Warwick (27 August 2014) Part 1 Why politicians must lie ndash and
how selling ice-creams is like an election campaign The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014aug27why-
politicians-must-lie-and-how-selling-ice-creams-is-like-an-election-
campaign
Smith Warwick (11 September 2014) Part 2 Political donations corrupt
democracy in ways you might not realise The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep11political-
donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise
Smith Warwick (18 September 2014) Part 3 If democracy is broken
why should we vote The Guardian online
httpwwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2014sep18if-democracy-
is-broken-why-should-we-vote
StopFakeorg (2014) Struggle against fake information about events in
Ukraine StopFakeorg website online httpwwwstopfakeorgen
Taibbi Matt (18 October 2014) The US justice divide why crime and
punishment in Wall Street and Ferguson are so different The Guardian
online httpwwwtheguardiancomus-news2014oct17us-justice-
divide-crime-punishment-wall-street-ferguson
TimesJobs (nd) Fake It And Youre Busted Times of India online
httpwwwtimesjobscomcandidatecareerresourceshtmlsresumeliesj
sp
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
25
Traister Aaron (2014) Is Faking It Ever Okay (This Guy Says Yes)
Redbookmag blog online httpwwwredbookmagcomlove-
sexadvicelying-to-spouse
Travellercom (Mar 24 2011) Fake pilots nose-first landing unravels full-
blown scandal Travellercom website online
httpwwwtravellercomaufake-pilots-nosefirst-landing-unravels-
fullblown-scandal-1c87d
Webster Bayard (February 19 1985) Guile and Deception The Evolution
of Animal Courtship New York Times online
httpwwwnytimescom19850219scienceguile-and-deception-the-
evolution-of-animal-courtshiphtml
West Michael (September 29 2014b) ATO needs to man up on tax
dodges Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessato-needs-to-man-up-on-
tax-dodges-20140928-10n7f7html
West Michael (April 12 2014a) A ban is no deterrent for bad behaviour
Sydney Morning Herald online httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessa-
ban-is-no-deterrent-for-bad-behaviour-20140411-
36ih9htmlixzz2yeYFqsJj
West Michael (September 21 2013) Corporates cant lose in the welfare
state Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinesscorporates-cant-lose-in-the-
welfare-state-20130920-2u56qhtmlixzz2fZOZ4qJp
Westhead Rick (Mar 23 2011) Air India pilots bought fake licences 57
others showed up for work drunk Toronto Star online
httpwwwthestarcomnewsworld20110323air_india_pilots_bought
_fake_licences_57_others_showed_up_for_work_drunkhtml
Wikipedia (2014) Fake it till you make it Wikipedia online
httpenwikipediaorgwikiFake_it_till_you_make_it
Wilkins Georgia (September 17 2014) Guilty pleas over $7 million
insider trading case httpwwwbrisbanetimescomaubusinessguilty-
pleas-over-7-million-insider-trading-case-20140916-10hlschtml
Wyndham Susan (September 13 2013) Plagiarism the word that cant
be uttered Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauentertainmentbooksplagiarism-the-
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
26
word-that-cant-be-uttered-20130913-2tphahtmlixzz2erKKHcAa
Yeates Clancy (September 17 2014) SIC pings NAB and Westpac over
misleading customers Sydney Morning Herald online
httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessbanking-and-financeasic-pings-nab-
and-westpac-over-misleading-customers-20140917-
10i5t2htmlixzz3DYd3rkyh
Yim Seung-hye (Dec 222011) Nationrsquos doctors say kickbacks arenrsquot a
bad thing Joongang Daily online
httpkoreajoongangdailyjoinsmsncomnewsarticlearticleaspxaid=29
45972ampcloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Yiu Pak (January 31 2014) Fake customer reviews prompt
investigation Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandfake-customer-reviews-
prompt-investigation-20140130-31pjshtmlixzz2rvRNIlPd
Younge Gary (January 28 2013) Where the truth really lies who knows
anymore Brisbane Times online
httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauopinionsociety-and-culturewhere-
the-truth-really-lies-who-knows-anymore-20130128-
2dfndhtmlixzz2JJgijcRA
Source of this essay
meetup group Brisbane Active Thinking Meetup httpwwwmeetupcomBrisbane-
Active-Thinking-Meetup
topics already discussed
httpthormaynetunwiseideasDiscussionTopicsDiscussionIndexhtm
comments Thor May - thormayyahoocom
Professional bio Thor May has a core professional interest in cognitive linguistics at which he has
rarely succeeded in making a living He has also perhaps fatally in a career sense cultivated an
interest in how things work ndash people brains systems countries machines whateverhellip In the
world of daily employment he has mostly taught English as a foreign language a stimulating
activity though rarely regarded as a profession by the world at large His PhD dissertation
Language Tangle dealt with language teaching productivity Thor has been teaching English to
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014
27
non-native speakers training teachers and lecturing linguistics since 1976 This work has taken
him to seven countries in Oceania and East Asia mostly with tertiary students but with a couple
of detours to teach secondary students and young children He has trained teachers in Australia
Fiji and South Korea In an earlier life prior to becoming a teacher he had a decade of finding his
way out of working class origins through unskilled jobs in Australia New Zealand and finally
England (after backpacking across Asia in 1972)
contact httpthormaynet thormayyahoocom
academic repository Academiaedu at httpindependentacademiaeduThorMay
discussion Thors Unwise Ideas at httpthormaynetunwiseideasunwisendxhtml
personal site httpthormaynet
Fakes liars cheats deceivers animals in the forest (c) Thor May 2014