It's so interesting to contemplate the activity of lying. Some people are reflexive liars: they lie by reflex because they are scared, or don't know what to say, or want to hide so much about themselves, or perhaps because they don't even know what the truth is, so out pops a lie when they are speaking about some subject, as if the one speaking with them has pushed a button. And some are strategic liars: they plan their lies, sometimes in an instant, and they may not enjoy it, but they feel the need to defend themselves with an untruth. And some are compulsive liars: they can't help themselves, or they don't know what's true. And some are tactful liars: they compliment some factor of you or your appearance, just to administer a little uplift; or perhaps they feel caught out when you ask what they think of your hair or shoes or shirt, and they spit out a lie (which you might even deserve for asking).
Lying is not the same as storytelling, though a grey area might be said to differentiate the two. Telling a story may be an attempt at art, in which a nugget of truth nestles in its beating heart, or bits of truth are strewn throughout. Telling a lie may be an attempt to evade, hide, or run from the truth, yet it often can be found to point at the truth, despite its intention. In the aforementioned grey area, someone might tell a story, either to himself or to someone else, in order to make sense of facts. For instance if X and Y are friends, and Y stops speaking to X, without divulging a reason, then X may begin, without even planning it, to create stories explaining Y's silence. And these stories might not be true. Or, in a more common example, A and B might be in a relationship, and then get separated. They might tell different stories, perhaps sprinkled with truth.
Hmm.. I think someone I know is a liar, maybe the reflexive kind. I am a bit worried about this person's relationship with the truth. I wonder if he knows it or thinks about it, or if he thinks he just has to defend himself. At first I thought I was wrong and wondered whether I had just gotten the facts wrong. But then it keeps happening and some things are so evident. He's not particularly lying about almost-serious stuff, but about serious stuff.
And that is the kind of one-foot-away-from-the-truth kind of thing I'm talking about. This is very painful, and I find it compelling to consider why people do things. I am not particularly interested in judging this person for his errata, but I am so interested in his relationship with the truth and his perception of things, that makes him tell people different versions of some evident facts. I can’t even think lying is evil (though, like most things, it can be evil if you use it a certain way). I'm not saying lying is the province of cheaters. But it takes a peculiar sort of genius to dodge fact and hit truth. We should know there is truth at the end of every great lie. Lies framed in fact are the mark of a trifling amateur. For these, I suggest the wheel. Such bad habits must be broken. I'm signing off hoping he would change--at least someday!
Lying is not the same as storytelling, though a grey area might be said to differentiate the two. Telling a story may be an attempt at art, in which a nugget of truth nestles in its beating heart, or bits of truth are strewn throughout. Telling a lie may be an attempt to evade, hide, or run from the truth, yet it often can be found to point at the truth, despite its intention. In the aforementioned grey area, someone might tell a story, either to himself or to someone else, in order to make sense of facts. For instance if X and Y are friends, and Y stops speaking to X, without divulging a reason, then X may begin, without even planning it, to create stories explaining Y's silence. And these stories might not be true. Or, in a more common example, A and B might be in a relationship, and then get separated. They might tell different stories, perhaps sprinkled with truth.
Hmm.. I think someone I know is a liar, maybe the reflexive kind. I am a bit worried about this person's relationship with the truth. I wonder if he knows it or thinks about it, or if he thinks he just has to defend himself. At first I thought I was wrong and wondered whether I had just gotten the facts wrong. But then it keeps happening and some things are so evident. He's not particularly lying about almost-serious stuff, but about serious stuff.
And that is the kind of one-foot-away-from-the-truth kind of thing I'm talking about. This is very painful, and I find it compelling to consider why people do things. I am not particularly interested in judging this person for his errata, but I am so interested in his relationship with the truth and his perception of things, that makes him tell people different versions of some evident facts. I can’t even think lying is evil (though, like most things, it can be evil if you use it a certain way). I'm not saying lying is the province of cheaters. But it takes a peculiar sort of genius to dodge fact and hit truth. We should know there is truth at the end of every great lie. Lies framed in fact are the mark of a trifling amateur. For these, I suggest the wheel. Such bad habits must be broken. I'm signing off hoping he would change--at least someday!
2 comments:
perfectly said and impressively framed! sometimes lies can bring down everything we have..
when u know someone is lying to you, i believe you can directly get to them and ask out if what you think is right or not... that can sort out things better (provided the other person is as what you thought about them)
and i wonder who is the liar you have mentioned in this!!!
Hi..it requires a lot of effort to analyze something and when it's about the two sides of a coin like truth and lie, becomes quite difficult. I really liked the way you put your thoughts. Everything is perfect can't think of a better word selection you did, but it seems like you have gone through something which made you write this thoughtful article. But you know at the end it's truth which wins... :)
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