We’ve known for years that conditions such as alcoholism, compulsive gambling and obesity are not to be dismissed as nothing more than the character flaws of weak people. We’re more medically and psychologically enlightened than that.
On the other hand, we now have, quite arguably, more than enough syndromes and labels to explain away everything from poor time management to romantic failings.
The line between reason and excuse has never been so thin.
But until recently, we hadn’t heard about “non-filer syndrome.”
That’s what ostensibly explains the failure of Charles O’Byrne, who failed to pay $300,000 in taxes on time. The top aide to New York Gov. David Paterson was forced to resign amid criticism that he hadn’t paid his taxes between 2001 and 2005.
One of O’Byrne’s attorneys said such taxpaying inertia was a common mental health problem among professionals. But mental health – as well as IRS – officials said they had never heard of “non-filer syndrome.”
A spokesman for the IRS, however, did say the Service was more than familiar with the “do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-a client-off-the-tax-liability-hook” syndrome.
Or he should have.