Whats a lie ?

Question

If someone asked "what did you do today?" you replied you went to the gro. store and did some shopping. But you also went to eat and stopped at a few other stores on the way. because you dont add detail to you day does that make you a liar? And what if you tell a little white lie? Honey does this look ok? sure,you reply not giving a care just answering, Are you a liar?

Answer 1

Unless your under police guard, then it's not usually necessary to give a 100% detailed account about what store you went to and why and what then etc!! And about the last section of your Q, well, there are circumstances where people want to encourage someone, and would sooner not point out lesser things about the other. This is, I think, called a White Lie - ie there is some truth in it, but it's not total. But the intention is GOOD.
OK hope this helped

Answer 2

A lie is the spoken words conveying a falsehood, untruth, slander, or fraudulent deception. Consequently, " A rose by any other name is still a rose." A lie is a lie, no matter what color we paint it. However, the examples you give in your question are really quite common lies that are told all the time.

"How are you today?" Someone asks on a day you're acutely depressed. "I'm fine," you answer. That is a lie, but you didn't believe the person asking the question really cared how you felt.

"Hey, how are you today?" A question people ask all the time. They don't really want to know how you are on that particular day. In fact, if you were to go on to tell the asker in great detail how you actually were feeling, they would probably find some excuse to end the conversation quickly.

The example you gave about "leaving out information," is more formally called "deceit." When you omit information that may be pertinent to someone in the context of being completely truthfully, omitting information could be construed as "deceit." My example: The husband comes home from work; wife asks, "How was your day, Dear--? Did you have lunch?" And the husband says, "Yes, I went out to lunch at the hotel across the street." However, the husband fails to say, "I went to lunch with my secretary at the hotel across the street." Do you see the deceit.

All people lie---we'd rather rationalize the lies and give them different names so we can keep our "I'm a nice person" persona. However, regardless of what mask we apply, what lace we use to try and make the lie "pretty," or what spin we put on the lie-----it's still a lie.

Answer 3

A lie is an attempt to deceive, and they come in all shapes and sizes (some good, some bad - just like everything in life).

If in recounting your day you left out details because you thought they were unimportant or you honestly forgot, that is one thing. If you specifically left out the fact that you did something that your mom told you not to (or would anger your husband, depending upon age, etc.), then that would be considered a lie.

It is not as bad to tell a white lie, but it isn't always kind either. If you girls asks you if she looks fat in her outfit and you say no, even though you think yes, then you are doing her a disservice because now she is out around town looking fat - she will not thank you if someone else tells her the truth (especially when you could have said "I think this one looks better on you" or that color just doesn't look flattering on you") .

The liar is trying to deceive - that is the acid test on that, in my opinion.

Answer 4

I think that a lie is an untruth. So leaving out certain details isn't a lie in my book. Now, if someone asked me what I did today, and I answered that I was at work all day when I really had played hooky, that would be a lie.

Answer 5

There are actually different definitions of a lie.
to stretch out on a surface that is slanted or horizontal...
Oh about your question if you are a liar if you reply not giving a care just answering? well... you are not just in the mood to respond with care but i didnt think its a lie. At least you answered.

Answer 6

A lie is not the truth, if you exclude information thats not lieing, as far as white lies like in the example that doesn't make you a bad liar, only a person who doesn't want to get beat by their wives for sayin they look bad. A liar is someone who bends the truth in manners that only provide them an excuse to not get in trouble, someone who tells falsehoods in hope of hurting someone, etc..

Answer 7

A lie is a deliberate distortion of the truth.
If you don't add any details, or purposely withhold information, tell a "half truth" or a "white" lie, you are still lying. Telling someone something to make them feel good can be a lie if what you're telling them/complimenting them on isn't true. ("Honey, does this make me look fat?" is a big one....)

Answer 8

A lie is an untruth, you know that!!! But, sometimes we tell a little white lie because we don't want to hurt someones feelings. But, sometimes, its not necessarily a lie, because you didn't go into great detail. But a lie is a lie is a lie, technically.

Answer 9

If somebody asks you a specific question, and you misrepresent the truth , then that's a lie. For instance, "Was Mary working at the store?" If you saw her there, but you said NO, then that's a lie!

Answer 10

A "lie" is a statement that is not the TRUTH.

If you say you went to a clothing store and got your hair done, but forgot to say you went through McDonald's drive thur..that's not lying..UNLESS you are omitting that information for a reason.

White lies, like the one you gave, doesn't count as lying to me.

LIES usually HURT someone else. Judge it THAT way!