Dick Whitman
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2009
- Messages
- 45,703
I know this story has already been beaten to death, but, hey, it's a fun mystery, and obviously has struck a chord here, right or wrong.
Above, I've listed five general explanations for what has gone down. Obviously, there are levels of detail that may come out to take it out of some of these general categories and into a more specific factual category. But even though I've listed a sixth option for "Other," I've done so in the event that someone has a completely unique theory here.
Grounds rules for this thread:
Vote for a theory.
Explain, briefly, why you believe this theory to be true. (ex. "No one is that gullible.")
No arguing allowed with other posters. Just give your own thoughts.
As for me:
I largely believe the story Te'o is telling now. I believe that he believed that Lennay Kekua was a real woman. I believe he believed he was in an online relationship with her, and that he believed she died of leukemia in September. He had no reasonable motive to concoct the story at that point. He was not a Heisman candidate. Notre Dame was not a national championship contender. And the public electronic trail of his communications with her and her "family members" dates back to a year before, when he certainly would have had no reason to carry on any sort of ruse.
Any holes and discrepancies in his story at this point are extremely minor, and there are valid explanations for the times he did exaggerate details of the relationship, namely because he realized that there is a stigma attached to online-only relationships. I believe that the manner in which he was taken in was a pretty textbook case of a young man idealizing a romantic interest, and that the perpetrators were quite good at pushing and pushing the limits a baby step at a time to see how far they could reel him in.
(Reading my explanation now, I realize that I could have easily picked category No. 4 instead of No. 5. I think that they are pretty similar and reliant on the definition of "girlfriend." I think he believed he had a very close relationship with a potential girlfriend. So, really, No. 4.5.)
Above, I've listed five general explanations for what has gone down. Obviously, there are levels of detail that may come out to take it out of some of these general categories and into a more specific factual category. But even though I've listed a sixth option for "Other," I've done so in the event that someone has a completely unique theory here.
Grounds rules for this thread:
Vote for a theory.
Explain, briefly, why you believe this theory to be true. (ex. "No one is that gullible.")
No arguing allowed with other posters. Just give your own thoughts.
As for me:
I largely believe the story Te'o is telling now. I believe that he believed that Lennay Kekua was a real woman. I believe he believed he was in an online relationship with her, and that he believed she died of leukemia in September. He had no reasonable motive to concoct the story at that point. He was not a Heisman candidate. Notre Dame was not a national championship contender. And the public electronic trail of his communications with her and her "family members" dates back to a year before, when he certainly would have had no reason to carry on any sort of ruse.
Any holes and discrepancies in his story at this point are extremely minor, and there are valid explanations for the times he did exaggerate details of the relationship, namely because he realized that there is a stigma attached to online-only relationships. I believe that the manner in which he was taken in was a pretty textbook case of a young man idealizing a romantic interest, and that the perpetrators were quite good at pushing and pushing the limits a baby step at a time to see how far they could reel him in.
(Reading my explanation now, I realize that I could have easily picked category No. 4 instead of No. 5. I think that they are pretty similar and reliant on the definition of "girlfriend." I think he believed he had a very close relationship with a potential girlfriend. So, really, No. 4.5.)
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