For the first time in U.S. history the American electorate has voted into the White House a man who is a well-known and recognized pathological liar. What is a pathological liar? A pathological liar is a person who is governed by impulse and not by reality. What makes the statements of a pathological liar true? They are true because the person felt it at the time he or she spoke them. It is that simple. If the pathological liar feels it and then speaks it, it is automatically the truth. Contradictions and connections to reality mean nothing to the pathological liar. Impulse dictates their truth: “Because I felt it; it is true.” A genuine pathological liar is a person who is unable to stop telling falsehoods even if he or she would like to stop. The lies automatically pour forth despite an absence of intention. Because there is no relationship to reality, the notion of truth dissolves and eventually becomes irrelevant. Importantly, without truth, there can be no justice and without justice, there is no democracy. Soon the American democratic experiment will face the greatest challenge in its history: can it survive without truth? As we descend into our own national Dark Ages, the anxiety can feel overwhelming. For me, I am fortunate to live in the state of Massachusetts where the truth remains robust. At the very least, I can work to keep Massachusetts honest and strong and sane.

Alan Kanner

Amherst