Are so called 'white-lies' really just a giant rationalization of our inability to face the truth?

Question

If you really think about it, isn't the concept of white-lying a bit arrogant, in fact a lot arrogant?

The way I understand it the idea of a white lie is to protect the other person from emotional harm. Right? Well, doesn't that require knowing exactly what the other person is thinking along with being able to predict the future?

I certainly can't do either of those things, and I'm a megalomaniac.

I think at one level most of us can accept that the truth will most likely come out eventually anyway, as it indeed does. I think that most people would also accept that when that truth does emerge later, it is much more embarrassing ADDING to the emotional damage but yet we can't seem to rid ourselves of our inability to take this into account when we are making up our lies.

What do you think?

Answer 1

I hate white lies.

I never use them. Im ofetn accused of being brash and insensitive because I would rather tell you the cold hard truth than expend my precious energy trying to think up a white lie.

And being lied to is my biggest pet peeve.

Answer 2

in keeping with observations of the greater virulently anti-Catholic Protestants, the ten rules are as follows: a million) The Catholic is often incorrect; the Protestant is often authentic. even while the Protestant is incorrect, incorrect, or illogical. 2) Catholicism is so evil, it incredibly is okay to lie approximately it. 3) The Bible is Protestant property. 4) in basic terms the Bible may be utilized in debates with Protestants, for the reason that historic previous, good judgment, and Apostolic custom disprove Protestantism. 5) while something undesirable has got here about in Christian historic previous, it substitute into Rome's fault. 6) If it incredibly is not explicity taught in the Bible, it incredibly is opposite to the Bible. 7) push aside all Catholic claims as "propaganda". for the reason that Catholics are continually incorrect (even while they're authentic), the info are never on their ingredient -- through fact they are able to't be! 8) All statements which might forged doubt on the legitimacy of the Catholic Church, in the event that they have been authentic, are authentic. 9) continually take Scripture actually, except the literal interpretation helps a Catholic doctrine. 10) The Early Church substitute into not the "Roman" Catholic Church. The "Roman" Catholic Church have been given began on the Council that condemned your renowned heresy. of path, new rules could sometime come to easy, LOL. . .

Answer 3

Some things don't fit into "black" or "white categories. YOu need to accept that there are circumstances when discretion is needed. When I was a kid my mother didn't tell me that my grandfather killed himself. She told me he died of a heart attack. When I was older she told me the truth. I'm not freaked out about it. I was very young and wouldn't understand. I don't think she was arrogant because she thought this was best way to handle my questions. I hope this makes sense to you.

Answer 4

You are right.
White lies are usually used to avoid unpleasant confrontations with people we don't care that much for anyway. In the long run, they're not useful in relationship buildings. If you don't have an attachment to someone, you might as well set them free (and the truth...). If you do care about someone, you should be able to be completely honest with them.

Answer 5

Hmmm.....what is the difference between what you call "a white lie" and someone just trying to be kind? If I don't want to hurt someones feelings when they ask me "don't I look great in this!?" - and they look awful - what I'm I going to say? Sorry hun but you look awful (which would be the truth) and hurt their feelings or something like "if you like it, that's all that matters." It is not "all that matters" so is that a "white lie" or is it trying to be kind to her feelings? You tell me.

Answer 6

I don't agree. Imagine you saw a ghost, would you tell your students/ children that ghosts exist if they happen to ask you.
Sometimes white-lies are necessary, as you said, to protect others from 'unnecessary' emotional harm/fear. Maybe those students/ children never have the chance to see a ghost, so why worrying them with such a complex matter.

Answer 7

sometimes telling the truth would do more harm than lying

Answer 8

White lies are still lies. I don't think they are good. A lie is a lie.

Then there is the question...........are there lies of omission?

Answer 9

Yes. It's actually i think it's mostly 'soothing' our ego', not the other person.

Answer 10

who lies? I don't believe that I lie, I believe that other people do