“Alternative facts” (1) are used by liars, pathological liars, confidence men, spies, in psychosis, by the misinformed, in multiple personality, and by novelists.

As I said in a recent post: Another name for multiple personality would be multiple reality, because each personality has its own view of reality (consistent with its own memories and sense of its own age, gender, abilities, preferences, etc.).

Thus, an alternate personality has an alternate reality with its alternative facts. 

Multiple personality is not a psychosis, because there are always personalities (e.g., the regular, host personality) who are in touch with objective reality. However, when you are not talking with the host personality, but don’t know it, you might jump to the conclusion that the person is out of touch with reality, when, taken as a whole, they are not.

Most people with multiple personality are basically truthful. However, some do get a reputation for lying. Search “liar” for some past posts.

Are alternative facts ever a good thing? They are very good for writing novels.

1. Wikipedia. “Alternative facts.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_facts