Instructions for simulators

You have never simulated? Really not? Perhaps the term just bothers you – have you ever “embellished” the truth? “Colored it a little bit”? Or charmingly concealed something unpleasant?

The diverse behavioral patterns of deception and trickery, of playing down and puffing up are ancient. There are also "malingerers" in the animal world: mollusks and insects, fish and birds and of course our closest relatives, the apes, have a whole arsenal of feints to ward off enemies or outwit competitors. But Homo sapiens, thanks to its highly developed brain, far surpasses its animal ancestors, as the authors demonstrate in an entertaining way - based on prominent case studies.

The three authors present the special area of ​​malingering in medical consultations as an "instruction manual" for malingerers, with a wink. And anyone who wants it can get practical tips for a number of ailments. However, this ironic approach is not intended to overlook the moral dilemma of doctors and other professionals, who have to decide on a case-by-case basis whether feigning a disorder is sometimes even justifiable in view of scandalous working conditions or the difficult demands of life...

The “Instructions for Malingerers” is aimed at employees and employers, students and teachers, doctors and patients, imposters and fraudsters – and shows, last but not least, how deeply we are all entangled in a culture of deception.