Why are people skeptical about "half truths"?

Question

Do you take their side, those who would dismiss half-truths as nonexistant? If so, please help me understand your point of view.

This one young lady on here remarked to me that there is no such thing as half-truths. Either something is true or false. Do you agree?

What happened to the myriad shades of grey that can exist? Are people so narrow minded that they cannot see anything except black and white? Feast or famine? Where does such polarized thinking come from?

I have a problem with "axioms" that people idolize, as if they were the gospel, when they are not. Let me give some examples:

"You can't judge a book by its cover"- but wouldn't you agree that sometimes, we can (and do) judge people at first glance?

"Change is always good"- No. Only if it is for the better, says I.

"Time heals all wounds"- Time heals nothing.

What do you think?

Answer 1

I think half-truth is MORE dangerous than full-lie. Because in half-truth, the other half is lie. Maybe we say: "OK, I will believe the true part and reject the false part." But oftentimes, it's difficult to differ true part and false part. It's like a cup of tea with one drop of poison inside. Would you say: "OK, I will drink the tea only and spit the poison out"?

There are two things: Principle and Wisdom. Principle is 'black-or white' type of truth; it's either right or wrong, true or false. Greek school of thought learn this more in-depth. For example, if you tell your customer that your car can run 200 miles per hour, you'd better make sure it can. Unless, he'll be angry and complain you.
Wisdom guides you to choose the best over the better, the better over the good, and so on. For example, when you want to go from one city to another, you can choose to go by airplane or by bus. If you fly, it's faster, but more expensive. If you travel by bus, it's longer but cheaper. Which one you should choose? It depends your situation and consideration. There is no right or wrong.

About the axioms, I would try to explain you:

"You can't judge a book by its cover": It's true, but you're also true that it's what we do most of the time. Why? Because at first glance, we have very little reference or 'data' about person we are facing, but we need to make decision. So, we try to pick the best choice with very limited resources. Of course, it's prone to be wrong. But as time goes by, we will soon know what type of person he is. In this stage, we can decide our next step: continue, or leave him.

"Change is always good": Is it? I don't think so. Even one good change for someone is a bad thing for another.

"Time heals all wounds": Not true, but if you want to cure your wounds, it does need time (and effort, of course).

Answer 2

Because of the part that isn't true.

I prefer to be skeptical to the point that it serves my understanding. Once my skepticism does NOT serve my understanding of the world, then I must resign myself to a faith. Not necessarily Faith, but a faith in myself or a law of the universe or that some force is watching out from somewhere.

There is more gray in the world than black and white. People who feel they must compartmentalize existence into dualities do not understand the complexities of life at all.

I do think we judge books by their covers, but I also think we have to remember to delve into the pages of some covers that aren't so fine.

Change is usually good. Change provides an opportunity for growth. If you refuse that opporunity, that's usually when change is a bad thing.

Time heals most wounds. Only the real deep ones need outside assistance. Trust me. Sometimes the healing time doesn't seem to end, but that's just an indication of how deep the cut went.

Answer 3

Half truths are the gray areas that certain kinds of people require and live for, in order to get away with all the shitty things they do and say to other people...

Some people make an art form out of it and never seem to get it back...

They ruin life for those of us who are more linear minded and emotionally dependent upon a more solid foundation for morality and social expectations.

Everyone KNOWS emphatically right from wrong... Everything else in between comes into play when people would really rather not commit to or show responsibility for their thoughts, deeds, actions or treatment of others.

Being too linear however can cause a rigid existence... which is why accountability, responsibility and honesty is necessary.

The gray areas however... Cover that expenditure and provide idiots with just the buffer they need to always be as deceitful as they can be and always get away with it.

Answer 4

I think their are half truths half lies: The devil, in the garden of Eden, mixed half truth with half lie. God said in the day that you eat from the tree of knowledge of both Good and Evil thou shalt surely die. The devil changed one word. He remarked to eve, the day that ye eat thereof thou shalt "NOT" surely die~~one word~~is all he changed to get her to commit sin.
Also, people who are in the "Valley of Decision" are middle grounded and have truth on one side, half lie on the other.

Time doesn't heal all wounds,but the majority that are willimg to let healing take place , brings about healing. Life is all about Change , no one stays the same , except Jesus Christ, and I better stop there before I get in trouble with him..lol

Answer 5

A half-truth is also half-lie. People know this. I would avoid half-truths because of the half-lie part. The most precious thing you have in your life is your reputation. Once it is tarnished, it is hard to repair.

By the way, that's a fact and not just a saying.

Answer 6

if you believe in half truth .. then you will never believe in a lie ..
the cup half full of water .., is it half full or half empty ??

if there is half truth so there must be quarter of truth , one tenth of truth , one third , and so on ......
so you believe in half lie ???