Comments on: In Praise Of Lying

By: Barbara Ling

Barbara Ling — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 07:30:16 +0000

Hah, try teaching young kids that, yes, we should always be honest (except when little white lies are called for). As in, no dear, we do NOT tell our friends their clothing looks like god-awful, they’re probably aware of it already. Instead we simply find something we can comment on positively.

Social interactions – ’tis a hero’s journey.

Barbara

Barbara Ling’s last blog post..Responsible cell phone and mobile phone usage for kids

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:16:02 +0000

Well, yes, there’s definitely a difference between bald-face lying (“I did not have sexual relations with that woman”) and “little white lies”… although I suppose we could spend hours haggling over the definitions.

The important thing is that we agree these pants don’t make me look fat.

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:15:03 +0000

Stupid questions deserve it, too. As in, asking someone with hair the color of cherry cola “Is that your natural color” or someone with obviously fake nails if they’re real.

It’s almost like they’re just asking to be lied to. And, heck, I don’t mind obliging.

By: Guy S

Guy S — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:51:02 +0000

Hmmm … not a fan of lying, on the other hand, “little white lies” do have their place. And no, those pants DO NOT make you look fat, in fact you might want to go with the next smaller size.

By: Margi

Margi — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:00:12 +0000

Amazingly enough, I had the same take on the whole show, and your assertions are basically mine. I find the whole “subject your whole family to misery” for a buck aspect of “reality TV” a bit too much to stomach.

And I ALSO agree with rude questions that demand “lies.”

When I was much younger, and a waitress, I would wear fake nails. In a ridiculous length (yes, I know. I SAID I was younger) that couldn’t possibly be real.

I would get the same question over and over: “Are those yours?”

(insert my ohmyf’ngawdyougottabekiddinme face, here)

“Well, of COURSE they’re mine! I paid good money for ‘em!”

Dumbasses.

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:33:37 +0000

Oh, don’t get me wrong, WG: there are times I do take a perverse pleasure in telling people the unvarnished truth.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:47:53 +0000

You bought it. It’s yours. No lie there. The natural word is a little iffy. Maybe you should have said, “It all depends on your definition….” Since that seems to have worked before.

By: Mad William Flint

Mad William Flint — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:44:53 +0000

4 months in to my current job I was in a meeting/conference call with the business manager of our product (I was software development) and he made a particularly bold assertion about what I would find “fun.”

Anyway with 2 senior managers, 3 line managers and 8 other people in the meeting I said that was the stupidest thing I’d ever heard and asked if he was smoking f’ing crack. Yes, using those words. Everybody howled but him.

I was getting private congratulatory emails for days.

By: wg

wg — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:37:28 +0000

This must be why I'm unpopular with most people. I have a strong tendency to tell them the truth, and the method of delivery usually gets more unpleasant the more I dislike them. I'll never forget telling a manager I particularly disliked the unvarnished truth, illustrating why it was her fault, and leaving her running off to the bathroom in tears. That was a truly shining moment. wg's last blog post..Gestational rhythm?

By: Mad William Flint

Mad William Flint — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:18:49 +0000

A Chris Rock bit from a decade in book form.