Fake lucid dreamers?

[Arra]

Lucid dreaming experiences are entirely personal. Someone who claims to have them is trusted to be telling the truth. But it just occurred to me, it would be so easy for someone to pretend to have lucid dreams, or even to pretend to be a master at lucid dreaming but really have never had one in his or her life. I bet it's happened, but I wonder how common it is. Stephen LaBerge himself might never have had a lucid dream in his life, and we wouldn't know the difference. I doubt that, but it's an odd thing to think about. I can't think of another achievement that could be faked so easily.

[Baron Samedi]

Yes, it is possible. That is why every theory or technique must be tested out on your own to see if it works. And I do think LaBerge is a fake. Just kidding.

[Caradon]

People that come onto the dreaming forums and do that to try and look cool, or get attention, are just plain sad. They only cheat themselves anyway. And they must have a lot of extra time on their hands to waste. It's a topic that's been discussed in the past. And there is one person in particular,(rarely seen) that is so obsessed with the idea that he thinks most of the people are lying about their Lucid Dreams. There is something seriously wrong with that particular member though.

[StonedApe]

What's worse is when you tell people about LDing in real life and the lie about it. I've had this happen a couple of times, the one guy is a great storyteller and his was kinda funny, but usually it's just kinda awkward. I don't wanna call them out, but why would you lie about? Some people have told me about traveling to spiritual dimensions and weird out there shit, but when I ask them about basic things like how you feel and how you can change the scene, basic control things, they don't have a clue.

[Baron Samedi]

What's worse is when you tell people about LDing in real life and the lie about it. I've had this happen a couple of times, the one guy is a great storyteller and his was kinda funny, but usually it's just kinda awkward. I don't wanna call them out, but why would you lie about? Some people have told me about traveling to spiritual dimensions and weird out there shit, but when I ask them about basic things like how you feel and how you can change the scene, basic control things, they don't have a clue. I think a lot of people may sound like they are lying when they are talking about their dreams because sometimes dreams are so hard to describe, and remember. Dreams are not linear.They often do not make sense. I find myself stuttering, saying, uh... uh... and then... and then... when I talk about my dreams. As far as people doing crazy out there shit, and having no basic control skills... Well, think about this: People often fly in non-lucid dreams. Some dreamers learn how. Some dreamers automatically fly. Those people are probably not lying. Sometimes the advanced things are easier to do because the mind finds them more interesting, therefore more focus or energy is moving toward that skill or dream goal.

[Binsk]

it would be so easy for someone [...] to pretend to be a master at lucid dreaming but really have never had one in his or her life. Um.. so what? What's it to you? (Not saying this in a rude way, just a general sense) It doesn't effect you, or me, or anyone else but that user, so what's it matter? As long as you yourself have had one, then you know they are real and what they are like. Or if you haven't, there is a forum here of plenty of users, which I highly doubt every one of them is lying. This is one of those things that I look at and think, "So what?"

[Puffin]

Lucid dreaming is almost entirely subjective so it's easy to believe someone when they said they've LDed before. But if someone took the effort to "fake" having lucid dreams, they'd probably be interested enough to actually start having them, anyways. I do believe they're still attention seekers though.

[Hukif]

Oh it can happen indeed, but as puffin said, if they are so interested in it as to lie, then they are bound to have them eventually. And there is where you will catch them, because the experience of your first LD is generally so cool, that if they talk about it, it will be completely different from their other "lucids". Personally, I know my nephew will lie to me about it, because is very young, I hope. Generally, when I talk about a dream, he will go all "OH I had a dream exactly like that! Just that it wasn't you, but me!" then he proceeds to copy every single dream I talk about during that day, and ends having around 50 different dreams in a single day <.<

[StonedApe]

I think a lot of people may sound like they are lying when they are talking about their dreams because sometimes dreams are so hard to describe, and remember. Dreams are not linear.They often do not make sense. I find myself stuttering, saying, uh... uh... and then... and then... when I talk about my dreams. As far as people doing crazy out there shit, and having no basic control skills... Well, think about this: People often fly in non-lucid dreams. Some dreamers learn how. Some dreamers automatically fly. Those people are probably not lying. Sometimes the advanced things are easier to do because the mind finds them more interesting, therefore more focus or energy is moving toward that skill or dream goal. I dunno, I think they are just having really strange dreams and calling them LDs. The dreams they tell me about have no clarity to them. I guess they could be semi-lucids but I kind of doubt it. In some cases they said it was a LD and went on to say things that contradicted that like total lack of awareness, couldn't even describe the scene, etc. It's likely these people have had a LD at some point, I just think the dreams they were telling me about weren't in some cases and were totally made up in others. You can kind of tell when someone is just making stuff up based on facial movement and the way they talk, their pauses and delivery.

[dr1ft]

Stephen LaBerge himself might never have had a lucid dream in his life, and we wouldn't know the difference. In a lab, scientists can measure your brain waves and determine what phase of sleep you are in (REM, Deep, etc.). LaBerge actually proved that he was in a lucid dream by using his eyes as a signal to outside observers. His brain waves showed he was in REM.

[Jupilér]

(Hi people good to be back after being sick for a long time) I believe there are people who are lying to others about having lucid dreams. but do you really believe there are people on the forum acting like they know everything about LD's even though they never had one. Because I believe if someone does that he/she would have a lucid dream after a while....I mean if your thinking about lucids all the time and know how it works even thought you just pretent...you will have one soon enough... I mean when I read a few topics before going to sleep it always helps me becoming lucid or remember my lucids.. Jupiler

[Baron Samedi]

Think of it this way: If someone is lying about having lucid dreams, they really want to have lucid dreams. By them talking about having lucid dreams actually incubates the dream! So, if you hear someone lying about having a lucid dream, you should encourage them to talk about it, thereby helping them incubate their dream, or maybe even have a DILD. Talk to these people about dreams as much as you can.

[Robot_Butler]

I don't know why anyone would pretend to have lucid dreams. There are plenty of other things to lie about that would score you a lot more attention. It is strange to think about, though. We have no way of verifying dreams in reality. They happen completely in our minds. Have you ever had a dream that faded so fast, you question whether or not it really happened? Where you can't even trust your own memory of the dream?

[Weight]

People often fly in non-lucid dreams. Some dreamers learn how. Some dreamers automatically fly. Those people are probably not lying. Sometimes the advanced things are easier to do because the mind finds them more interesting, therefore more focus or energy is moving toward that skill or dream goal. I've flown and levitated in many dreams, and I remember how I did it very clearly from the vivid ones. Kinda cool as it matched up with the descriptions a lot of people have given about how you do it lucidly. I still have next to no control in my LDs at the moment but I think flying will come rather easily once I can stabilize better. I think the problem with the "liars" is that they often don't know they're lying...everybody has semi-lucid dreams which can easily be mistaken for full lucidity if you haven't actually experience full lucidity. Nobody likes to feel left out in conversation; I think it's more of a problem with embellishers rather than full on liars.

[Mzzkc]

Um.. so what? What's it to you? (Not saying this in a rude way, just a general sense) It doesn't effect you, or me, or anyone else but that user, so what's it matter? As long as you yourself have had one, then you know they are real and what they are like. Or if you haven't, there is a forum here of plenty of users, which I highly doubt every one of them is lying. This is one of those things that I look at and think, "So what?" It becomes a problem when these people try to pass off their "knowledge" as real advice. Otherwise, as other members have pointed out, it's just very sad.