That behaviour feels like what was described in the "Persuasion and the Prestige Paradox" [1]: "In short, people have a mechanism in their minds. It stops them

That behaviour feels like what was described in the "Persuasion and the Prestige Paradox" [1]: "In short, people have a mechanism in their minds. It stops them from saying something that could lower their status, even if it’s true. And it propels them to say something that could increase their status, even if it’s false. Sometimes, local norms can push against this tendency. Certain communities (e.g., scientists) can obtain status among their peers for expressing truths. But if the norm is relaxed, people might default to seeking status over truth if status confers the greater reward." [1] https://quillette.com/2021/04/03/persuasion-and-the-prestige-paradox-are-high-status-people-more-likely-to-lie/ https://quillette.com/2021/04/03/persuasion-and-the-prestige...