Lying could — if one were so inclined — be used to cheat. But, is every lie dishonest? Of course not. Being Ahem-ployed by the gubmint forces me to lie all. of. the time (hell, you simply can't voice "radical" political and social thoughts and not get crushed, I opt to conceal, misdirect, and lie). This proclivity towards the lie is unfortunate — or, not to my liking — but the results of said lying are not exclusively misleading. In fact, my lying illuminates a spit-shined truth: I am a coward.
Damn straight. A coward. I would prefer to lie than risk potential material harm. How is that for some weak-sauce? Next, I'm going to (just for fun) argue the other side.
Not a coward: I simply don't have any real convictions. I don't believe in me, so why portray myself "honestly". So, if my honesty doesn't mean a thing, I prefer to protect something that does mean something, my money (and all the delicious food that comes with it).
In both scenarios, my lying is not misleading. Rather, it is an essential part of understanding me. Hooray.
Side Story:
Like you, when talking with new people (I possess an agreeable and altogether inviting mien, so it happens constantly... a wink for you), I get asked, "what do you do?" After I say teacher, they say (every god damned time) what subject? The "truth" is stupid and misleading (maybe not misleading, but it certainly doesn't capture what I do in the classroom), so I tell another version of the truth when I answer: aesthetics. Yep, I'm an Aesthetics teacher. The responses, as you might imagine, are wildly varied, but always better than if I had told the truth.
Everybody lies.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find startling is how people will break from their own internal knowledge that lying is part of communication when it comes to a favored politician or business person. Suddenly, the person's words are to be taken at face value, not questioned, and never a doubt on motive, on double-speak, on euphemism, or on outright lying.
Unless the politician or business leader plays for the adverse team, in which case it's assumed that every communicative word or gesture is a lie.
Strange puzzle, that one.
But Charles, how could a dishonest person possibly get their name on the holiest of human artifacts: the election ballot.
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ReplyDeleteWTV,you are a great ironist.
ReplyDeleteYou tell it like it is.
What do you really teach?