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by gwc 6518 days ago
This phenomenon is by no means unique to entrepreneurial pitches. I see this all the time in big business: managers BSing customers about stuff they don't know, managers BSing higher managers about stuff they don't know, engineers BSing managers ... you get the idea.

Is it just fear of seeming weak or ignorant? What is it about our culture that makes us so resistant to admitting that we don't know something?

I'm reminded of the "Have you tried Javascript?" story: http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Straight_Shooter_for_Upper_M...
1 comments
blogimus 6518 days ago
"What is it about our culture that makes us so resistant to admitting that we don't know something?"

I've heard it explained as "Male Answer Syndrome"

http://www.wordspy.com/words/maleanswersyndrome.asp

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gaius 6518 days ago
If this were called "female lying syndrome" it would be a Thing You Could Not Say.

I'm a beer-swilling steak-eating iron-pumping male and I say "I don't know anything about that" all the time. What compelled you to post that glib answer?

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blogimus 6518 days ago
"What compelled you to post that glib answer?"

It might be glib, it might be stereotypical, but I run into BS answers a lot. The article struck a chord with me because I've witnessed this quite often over the years, and its mostly the guys (rather than the gals) who to HAVE to have an answer.

I'm sure google and forums has made this "syndrome" worse.

to your question: I got this from a recent email discussion of a group of former co-workers from a now defunct software company, where someone started complaining about this issue and we had a big long discussion on it.

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unalone 6518 days ago
Guys and girls both do it. It's just that it happens in two different ways.

Guys are more likely to lie about things they haven't heard of, in my experience. girls are more likely to pretend to have a similar opinion as somebody they're talking with. On the contrary, girls will admit if they don't know what you're talking about, whereas guys are very willing to say that they loathed Moulin Rouge and that your taste is terrible.

It cuts both ways.

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