Monday, December 6, 2010

Half-truths, white lies, and other nice names

What do you do when you feel like you have been lied to? What if it is a white lie? What if the truth is bent to make it sound more favorable, but it isn't completely false? What if it is an omission of facts to make it sound better than it really is? What if it is a lie to protect your feelings? What if...

We can debate all we want what fits under the category of a lie, but the truth is the truth. There aren't shades of truth. It is as simple as it is true or it isn't. We want the grey. We want to be able to hide behind words so we call lies things such as half-truths, white lies, fudging the truth, etc.

So how do you deal with all of the various non-truths? If you feel someone has lied to you, do you call them out on it? Do you let it go because it is only a small lie? If someone says they will do something and then doesn't, is that a lie? Do you consider their intention in determining whether it is true or not?

Seems we live looking for the loophole. We feel we are the exception to the rule. We don't want absolutes. They don't allow much wiggle room for us make ourselves feel better. Absolutes say it is true or it isn't. Wonder why we have to make it more difficult than that?

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