Chapter 9
A Drive with Thorpe

People who constantly brag about themselves are usually trying to convince themselves as much as you. Thorpe's endless boasting about his horse, his driving skills, his hunting prowess, and his inside knowledge reveals a deep insecurity that compels him to perform superiority rather than demonstrate it. The mechanism is simple: when someone feels inadequate, they compensate by creating an inflated public persona. Thorpe contradicts himself constantly—his horse is both dangerously spirited and perfectly behaved, depending on what makes him look better in the moment. He makes impossible claims because he's not thinking about truth; he's thinking about impression management. Each boast is an attempt to fill an internal void with external validation. This pattern appears everywhere in modern life. The coworker who name-drops constantly but never delivers results. The relative who turns every conversation into a story about their achievements. The social media friend whose posts scream 'look how amazing my life is' but whose eyes look hollow in person. The boss who takes credit for everything good and blames others for everything bad. Healthcare workers see this in patients who exaggerate symptoms for attention and in colleagues who oversell their expertise to mask incompetence. When you recognize this pattern, respond strategically. Don't argue with the boasts—that feeds the need for attention. Don't be impressed—that rewards the behavior. Instead, ask specific questions that require real knowledge. Watch for the contradictions Catherine notices. Trust your gut when someone's words don't match their actions. Most importantly, protect your time and energy. People trapped in this pattern will drain both if you let them. When you can name the pattern—empty boasting as insecurity performance—predict where it leads—unreliability and disappointment—and navigate it successfully by setting boundaries and trusting your observations—that's amplified intelligence.