Show me a person who says they always tell the absolute truth and I’ll show you someone with a nose like Pinocchio

Consistently I mean, not just now and then.  The fact is shading the truth can get you out of trouble or what you want if you know how to make the lie believable.  That’s why we do it.  And it’s not just those little white lies we tell to get out of going somewhere or doing something we don’t want to do.  If you have listened to the news lately you can’t avoid seeing first hand how lying has become a way of life with most politicians.

I have to confess that I never tell a deliberate lie, not because my heart is pure, but because I don’t regard anyone or anything important enough to lie about. Hardly anyone asks my opinion about anything because they know full well I will tell the truth.

There are many genteel verbs to use other than lying as fibbing, telling tales, circumlocution, evasion, embroidering on the truth and fabricating.  But, let’s face it.  Lying is what it is and lying is what we should call it.

What do people lie about? There are as many kinds of lies as there are people.  A major reason to lie is to make people think we are more important than we really are. We all care about other people’s opinion of us.  For the most part, we all want to be envied.  A lot.

Some people lie to even the score by telling something they know will not just hurt but bring an enemy to their knees.  It’s a payback delivered in a powerful and satisfying way.  A case in point is the current name calling both Democrats and Republicans are doing on a wide range of subjects.  The truth of the matter doesn’t even enter into the discussion.

Is it completely unrealistic to even expect honesty from others?  Yes, say the experts because everyone has too much to lose.  Especially when it comes to someone in charge of things. “You want to know what I think of your stupid plan?  It is without a doubt the most moronic concept I ever heard and could only have come from a deranged mind.” The unemployment line forms to the right.

Consider the consequences if we said exactly what was on our minds.  There would be so many knock-downs and drag-outs the police couldn’t handle it.  Business and industry would come to a grinding halt with all sorts of melees caused by the truth – especially when it comes to advertising.

“Use our meat products but it is possible a teeny bit of E coli may find its way into the production line.”

Granted it’s harder to separate truth from hyperbole, but there are ways to catch a liar when you are confronted with one.  But body language isn’t one of them. We have all heard dishonest people avoid eye contact.  Forget it, they don’t.  They read all about that, too.

Liars always fidget and sweat.  Wrong again.  Some liars may do that, but I have seen several talented truth-eluders on television recently who smile, look us in the eye, remain calm and say they know nothing about it and further more are hurt that anyone could even think they would be capable of such activity.  Whatever it is, they did not do it. .

Would you tell the truth about your age/weight/who you voted for if they lost/admit what you said was wrong? If you probably wouldn’t – then you are not alone.  Of course, I , on the other hand, would.  My mother, who was always right, said it was always better to tell the truth. Because it was so embarrassing if one was found out to be less than truthful. So I do.

Almost always.

If you always tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.  Will Rogers