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Re Armstrong link; that was a great read, thanks very much. Armstrong comes across with complete honesty, which is great to see - I just like when people write

Re Armstrong link; that was a great read, thanks very much. Armstrong comes across with complete honesty, which is great to see - I just like when people write in an unfiltered, open way. "When you name all the other winners from those days, all the riders, he was geared up in just the same way"!

JauntyHatAngle 7y ago
I agree that candor can be refreshing, but Armstrong (in my opinion) is a bit of a sociopath that knows how to manipulate the truth to cast himself in the best light possible. It may appear unfiltered and open, but he's obscuring a lot of the truth there.
- ethbro 7y ago
  > sociopath I assume most people who are world class (in anything that takes practice) and appear honest and/or normal are somewhat "sociopathic." Driving towards a goal with that kind of monomaniacal focus isn't normal. Ergo, if someone seems to be, they're probably acting the part. Not that I hold that against them: their achievements are mind-bogglingly amazing, and I imagine it's easier to pretend to be normal in social situations.
  - JauntyHatAngle 7y ago
    I'm referring to his constant lying and rewriting of the truth, not his drive as an athlete.
  - Permit 7y ago
    I don't think the parent was referring to his singular focus, but rather his decades-long history of telling lies. In fact, not only did he lie, but he did everything in his power to destroy the careers and reputations of anyone who tried to investigate him. For example: > When Betsy Andreu cooperated with David Walsh on his first book, revealing that Armstrong had admitted using PEDs to his oncologist, he sued her for libel. He has called her a "crazy bitch." He threatened to "destroy" Filippo Simeoni for cooperating with anti-doping officials. After Tyler Hamilton released his book about doping in the world of professional cycling and began to cooperate with law enforcement, Armstrong accosted him in an Aspen restaurant: "When you're on the witness stand, we are going to fucking tear you apart. You are going to look like a fucking idiot. I'm going to make your life a living ... fucking hell." [1] [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/how-aggressive-narcissism-explains-lance-armstrong/272568/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/how-aggre...
    - ethbro 7y ago
      I wasn't saying his singular focus made him a sociopath. I was saying his singular focus, world class performance, coupled with managing to appear normal (as another poster mentioned) pointed that way.
CaptainZapp 7y ago
Lance Armstrong was one of the most evil protagonsts in sports, ever. If he only would have cheated for himself that would be one thing. But how he threatened and destroyed others for personal gain is pretty much unforgivable. Here's something to chew on : https://deadspin.com/the-ridiculous-saga-of-lance-armstrong-the-cheater-who-1802288537 https://deadspin.com/the-ridiculous-saga-of-lance-armstrong-...

JauntyHatAngle 7y ago

I agree that candor can be refreshing, but Armstrong (in my opinion) is a bit of a sociopath that knows how to manipulate the truth to cast himself in the best light possible. It may appear unfiltered and open, but he's obscuring a lot of the truth there.

ethbro 7y ago
> sociopath I assume most people who are world class (in anything that takes practice) and appear honest and/or normal are somewhat "sociopathic." Driving towards a goal with that kind of monomaniacal focus isn't normal. Ergo, if someone seems to be, they're probably acting the part. Not that I hold that against them: their achievements are mind-bogglingly amazing, and I imagine it's easier to pretend to be normal in social situations.
- JauntyHatAngle 7y ago
  I'm referring to his constant lying and rewriting of the truth, not his drive as an athlete.
- Permit 7y ago
  I don't think the parent was referring to his singular focus, but rather his decades-long history of telling lies. In fact, not only did he lie, but he did everything in his power to destroy the careers and reputations of anyone who tried to investigate him. For example: > When Betsy Andreu cooperated with David Walsh on his first book, revealing that Armstrong had admitted using PEDs to his oncologist, he sued her for libel. He has called her a "crazy bitch." He threatened to "destroy" Filippo Simeoni for cooperating with anti-doping officials. After Tyler Hamilton released his book about doping in the world of professional cycling and began to cooperate with law enforcement, Armstrong accosted him in an Aspen restaurant: "When you're on the witness stand, we are going to fucking tear you apart. You are going to look like a fucking idiot. I'm going to make your life a living ... fucking hell." [1] [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/how-aggressive-narcissism-explains-lance-armstrong/272568/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/how-aggre...
  - ethbro 7y ago
    I wasn't saying his singular focus made him a sociopath. I was saying his singular focus, world class performance, coupled with managing to appear normal (as another poster mentioned) pointed that way.

CaptainZapp 7y ago

Lance Armstrong was one of the most evil protagonsts in sports, ever. If he only would have cheated for himself that would be one thing. But how he threatened and destroyed others for personal gain is pretty much unforgivable. Here's something to chew on : https://deadspin.com/the-ridiculous-saga-of-lance-armstrong-the-cheater-who-1802288537 https://deadspin.com/the-ridiculous-saga-of-lance-armstrong-...