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I'm fine. What are you talking about, you do not look fat in those jeans. I'll give you a call.

We lie all the time. And we get away with it quite often, too. But some folks push their made-up narrative so far, it's hard to imagine anyone actually believing them.

So they end up on the subreddit r/thatHappened. Its members share evidence of "people telling outrageous tall tales that would make Walter Mitty proud" and they have compiled quite the archive since the creation of this online community in 2012.

Here are some of its best gems.

#1

From Cursed Comments

From Cursed Comments

ya_boi01 , deborahhowarth9 Report

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Otter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope you don't mind him losing his fertility to a totally preventable case of the mumps, and having no biological grandchildren?

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#2

Jesus Christ. What An Idiot

Jesus Christ. What An Idiot

or_gasm Report

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KJ
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lol, this one should be number one for the massive cringe value.

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Sometimes people lie just to inflate their image—some think this motivation is the reason behind President Donald Trump's demonstrably false statement that his Inauguration crowd was bigger than President Barack Obama's first one. But people also lie to cover up bad behavior, as American swimmer Ryan Lochte did during the 2016 Summer Olympics by claiming to have been robbed at gunpoint at a gas station when, in fact, he and his teammates, drunk after a party, had been confronted by armed security guards after damaging property.

We can find similar examples even in fields that are dedicated to the search for eternal truth. And one doesn't have to look far, either. Take the physicist Jan Hendrik Schön, for example, whose purported breakthroughs in molecular semiconductor research proved to be fraudulent.

#3

Imagine Getting Called Out Like That, By Harry Styles Himself

Imagine Getting Called Out Like That, By Harry Styles Himself

Harry_Styles Report

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Serial pacifist
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He swore to God. Imagine 'god' profile also replying: Stop using me for your lies, Mike.

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#4

Not Really Sure What Is There To Brag About Anyways

Not Really Sure What Is There To Brag About Anyways

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#5

Running A 5k In 10 Minutes

Running A 5k In 10 Minutes

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Lying is something many of us are very good at. We do it while interacting with strangers, co-workers, friends, and loved ones. Turns out, our capacity for dishonesty is as fundamental to us as our need to trust others, which ironically makes us terrible at detecting lies. Being deceitful is woven into us, so much so that it would be truthful to say that to lie is human.

The ubiquity of lying was first documented systematically two decades ago by Bella DePaulo, a social psychologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. DePaulo and her colleagues asked 147 adults to jot down for a week every instance they tried to mislead someone. The researchers discovered that the subjects lied on average one or two times a day. Most of these untruths were innocuous, intended to hide one's inadequacies or to protect the feelings of others. Some lies were excuses (one subject blamed the failure to take out the garbage on not knowing where it needed to go). Yet other lies, such as a claim of being a diplomat's son, were aimed at presenting a false image. While these were minor transgressions, a later study by DePaulo and other colleagues involving a similar sample indicated that most people have, at some point, told one or more "serious lies", like hiding an affair from a spouse, or making false claims on a college application.

#6

How Does She Expect Anyone To Believe Her? My Mother Sent Me This From Our Neighborhood Facebook Group

How Does She Expect Anyone To Believe Her? My Mother Sent Me This From Our Neighborhood Facebook Group

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Samantha Lomb
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What I read here is "I fantasized about committing assault on strangers to to promote my snake oil"

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#8

And Then The Coronavirus Clapped

And Then The Coronavirus Clapped

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Something
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It may be "incredibly easy" according to this tweeter, but I'm pretty impressed by anyone who can accidentally swallow an entire mask by accident.

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Researchers suggest that lying as a behavior arose pretty soon after the emergence of language. The ability to manipulate others without using physical force likely conferred an advantage in the competition for resources and mates, akin to the evolution of deceptive strategies in the animal kingdom, such as camouflage.

"Lying is so easy compared to other ways of gaining power," Sissela Bok, an ethicist at Harvard University who's one of the most prominent thinkers on the subject, told Nat Geo. "It's much easier to lie in order to get somebody's money or wealth than to hit them over the head or rob a bank.

"Experts are learning that we're prone to believe some lies even when they're easily contradicted by clear evidence. These insights suggest that our proclivity for deceiving others, and our vulnerability to being deceived, are especially consequential in the age of social media.

So in the case of r/ThatHappened, it's nice to see that we can still retain our ability to distinguish truth from fiction.

#10

Lady Who Lives In Massive Fantasy Land Goes To Disneyland

Lady Who Lives In Massive Fantasy Land Goes To Disneyland

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#11

Woman Finds Microchip In Her Son’s Mask!?

Woman Finds Microchip In Her Son’s Mask!?

IHaveNeverEatenACat Report

#12

Of All The Things That Didn't Happen, This Didn't Happen The Most

Of All The Things That Didn't Happen, This Didn't Happen The Most

mojey6068 Report

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KJ
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Decided to turn lesbian, it's not like deciding to wear jeans instead of shorts today lol.

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#13

Mhmm, Yeah Sure It Was

Mhmm, Yeah Sure It Was

Mc-MeepMeep Report

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Cecily Holland
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one really annoys me! These self entitled, self absorbed mental midgets really think they have it that bad. It’s disrespectful and disgusting

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#14

This 2-Year-Old Must Have A Degree Already

This 2-Year-Old Must Have A Degree Already

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Otter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sympathies to that child, s/he's going to grow up having their needs ignored, because mum needs them to make her feel better about her life.

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#15

Everyone’s Worst Nightmare

Everyone’s Worst Nightmare

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#16

Oh Yeah. For Sure

Oh Yeah. For Sure

griffonbrioche Report

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Falcon dimi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

but on the other hand she is probably still paying the hospital bills for the delivery of het son.

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#17

Brags To All Their Friends For Saving Their Life With Essential Oils

Brags To All Their Friends For Saving Their Life With Essential Oils

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#18

Discord Users Are A Different Breed

Discord Users Are A Different Breed

reddit.com Report

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Lauren Caswell
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because we all know when the universe began, the big bang and all that, monkeys were already well established 🤦‍♀️ not even apes, he said monkeys. Zero effort

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#19

And All Vampires Clapped

And All Vampires Clapped

InsaneGamer18 Report

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#21

While These Children Weren’t Oxygen Starved, The Poster Was At Birth

While These Children Weren’t Oxygen Starved, The Poster Was At Birth

DavidThorne31 Report

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KJ
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Weird how some folks wear one for a full shift and are fine, they must be ghosts or something I guess.

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#22

Found This On A “People Who Think Liking Harry Potter Is A Personality Trait” Fb Page

Found This On A “People Who Think Liking Harry Potter Is A Personality Trait” Fb Page

reddit.com Report

#23

And Then Ben Franklin’s Image Clapped

And Then Ben Franklin’s Image Clapped

reddit.com Report

#24

Well, That Saved Me A Goog!

Well, That Saved Me A Goog!

budingerzdfdsgdsg Report

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Otter
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can believe that someone in a bar actually said that, after a beer or twelve.

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#25

I Won't Remember Posting This

I Won't Remember Posting This

RIPbyEugenics Report

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Jayne Kyra
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh please, I have been killing dragons for a decade. And I´m a walking cat with a human husband.

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Daniel Marsh
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now THIS one I KNOW is a joke from knowing plenty of military folks. "Using a pocket knife." BWAHAHAHA!!!

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Tobias Rieper
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

you do get a special breed of gamer that plays COD a lot and thinks that they are a marine or special forces

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Sasha
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This guy definitely never leaves his mothers basement.

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Kitty Jordan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Meanwhile, real combat veterans are posting, "Yeah, my name is Snickerdoodle because my girlfriend sent them in a care package..."

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Unnamed Hooman
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably blacked out from stress in a game of dodgeball as a kid

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Ben Dreyer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You probably used that pocket knife to peel potatoes in the army kitchen, being assigned that post because you shat your pants every time you heard gunfire, didn't you?

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bew 2
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nah he blacked out, had a seizure from playing too much COD with is hands shaking on his keyboard then got 100+ kills by scrambling the keys

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Clipps
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

not an armed forces nickname, but i had a friend everyone called throwup cuz he always threw up in PE We werent very creative with nicknames

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Paul Davis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What's even more amazing is that no one else remembers this twit doing anything interesting or dangerous with his pocket knife either.

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Random Anon
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I need to try really hard not to go into a hysteric state of uncontrolled laughter when I read really dumb sh!t like this.

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TrixicBird(Any pronouns)
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dad was called swamp ass because of his farts and knew a guy called half-ass because a shark ate half his ass. So yea I don´t think they are gonna give you suck an epic name lol.

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m j m
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We used to make up stories to tell people after they got hammered. Got others to collaborate the stories and really f****d with their minds

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Karen Grace
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now, in real life that would have him pulled off duty in a heartbeat and likely given a discharge. A "blind rage" would mean he is a huge risk to his platoon as he might not know who he is killing. The idea that all that is with a pocket knife when the other side is using guns is one of the most absurd stories I've heard.

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François Carré
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The staggering part of this for me is someone who brags about having killed 100+ people. If this is not toxic military culture, I don't know what is. Some countries would rather stop glorifying the dirty wars they have waged around the world during the last decades.

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Paul Werner
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nevermind all the other weapons at my disposal where's my pocket knife?

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Droopsnoot
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because that's a guy the army would be proud of having... Doesn't follow orders, just kills everything. Didn't know scp-682 was in the army

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David Beaulieu
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pocket Knife? So... in combat you chose a Swiss army knife? Did you at least use the knife blade, or were some of those "recorded kills" with the scissors or tooth pick?

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Don't Look
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, when you aren’t doing something and it’s all in your head you likely wouldn’t remember….

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Justin Rorke
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"pocket knife" ... what, is he in the Swiss army or something?

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Mayrene Chester
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Erm....it actually means power outage or loss of consciousness, both of which does not make one very active.

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BisexualBaddie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Holy s**t I loved this guy in Infinity War lol. This person was seriously like "ok we're thinking Winter Soldier on this one"

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LSR
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sure...nickname mostly referring to what he sees just before dropping his pants and laying on all fours...

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Meami
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"100+ recorded kills using a pocket knife" Bahahahhahahhahaa!

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Mosheh Wolf
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He blacks out so badly that he goes back in time to when nobody had guns and therefore couldn't shoot you you long before you were close enough to try and stab through somebody's body armor like a f*****g moron...

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Kyan Q
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

im pretty sure the military would dischare him if h had this problem

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Llama_flower93
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It just sounds like he went haywire on his fellow armed forces.

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Adrian
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

'blacked out" and "full rage mode" seem to be contradictory. Having tried to stab something with a pocket knife as a kid (a tree trunk as I recall) and spent hours getting parts of my fingers stitched back on when it folded up - I rather think this is a little fanciful.

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Brandy Grote
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mine is Jinx. Anything that can go wrong, will when I'm involved 😆

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kjorn
Community Member
2 years ago

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#27

Hate When People Underestimate The Condoms I Use In A Night Smh

Hate When People Underestimate The Condoms I Use In A Night Smh

Dumdemiboy Report

#28

This Has To Be A Joke, Right?

This Has To Be A Joke, Right?

God_sent_me_nudes Report

#29

Anti Vaxxers Are A Gold Mine

Anti Vaxxers Are A Gold Mine

Vonnybon Report

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Samantha Lomb
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm positive this is the same person who would be convinced dihydrogen monoxide is super toxic too.

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#30

Then The Toys Clapped

Then The Toys Clapped

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Serial pacifist
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And then he cited Marx and refuted his argument with Hegel's counterargument!

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Note: this post originally had 96 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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