Why do American women have trouble telling the truth, and being honest?

Question

I'm a college grad, born and raised in the U.S. This topic was brought up by a professor I had.
He said American women have been raised to lie by omission (it was origanlly a southern female trait, now recognised as an American one) I feel like this has expanded from just lieing by omission to general dishonesty. The wierd thing is it also seems like American women would occasionally prefer to be lied to as well.

Before i'm bombarded by angy women, let me explain. Lieing by omission is basicly failing to inform someone, and it's not just women who do it. It is however, a trait that's much more prevelnt in American women than any where else in the world.(including American men)

"Little white lies" Lies to spare someones feelings, or just lieing to keep what you have are unacceptable to most people of the world....why is it that it's acceptable for women to desive in America?

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I graduated from Eastern Michigan University.

Lieing by omission is a reasearched and documented trait of American women of the south. I'm sure it's not a trait that exists only in American women.

I also don't think all women are liers...that was not my point at all. Just that it more accepted here than most places in the world.

Also, I'm married, and spell poorly.

Also Patti C. is right.

In Middle eastern culture lieing...or actually misleading is much more accepted than it is hear....

It is things like "yea that looks great on you" ... "I'm fine!" ... "Im still a virgin"
..or just not telling someone something because you have justified it in some way. People will say openly it's wrong, but still do it frequently.

Answer 1

I don't know were you got your information but you are so wrong

Answer 2

Your professor said this, but there are no real statistics to back it up. How can you know for sure that American women lie more than women in other countries? Even if you take a survey and American women say yes to telling lies more than other women, how will you know that the other women are telling the truth about how much they lie?
It depends on the context of the lie. I know a lot of women who would rather tell a guy she has a boyfriend than tell him she's just not interested in him. She doesn't want to hurt his feelings so she might say something like that. I don't know whether or not women in other countries do the same. I lived on 3 different continents before I was 12 years old and I've been in more countries than most people, and yet, I don't know if women in other countries lie less. If you can find a way to prove that, I'll be happy to take a look.

Answer 3

I was not raised to lie by omission nor do I believe it's now an acceptable "American trait" unless you've confused women in general with corporate America in particular!

Answer 4

No surprise that the professor was male.

Men lie overtly and with white lies just as much as women. I know many people of all genders who are blunt to the point of social awkwardness.

BTW, being tactful and mature isn't the same as lying. A hurtful statement uttered bluntly may be a smokescreen for the individual's low self-esteem and anger.

PS
I've lived in the South for over 20 years, and I'm well aware of gender bias in "studies" of women's behavior, from a statistical perspective as well as a feminist one. A good education means you question "facts" and research for yourself rather than taking a professor's word as gospel.

Answer 5

It started with southern women - southern women were more involved in day to day things than most northern women, so their demeanor had to reflect the confidence of a man, but not come across like they were trampling the male ego. They had to be firm, yet appear genteel. The reason that most women have that quirk about them now is for the same reasons. We still live in a "man's world" and have to keep up, yet still be the nurturing females that dare not to hurt the male ego. American women have this about them more so than other cultures because our women are more involved in the business world. Now, if you're looking for blame.....turn to your testoterone and the feminists!

Answer 6

I am an American woman and know many other American women. I don't know many who have trouble telling the truth and being honest. There are always a few who are not honest but this is rare.

I was unaware that people in other countries were so much more honest than Americans. As a matter of fact, I do not believe it.

You say you are a college graduate born and raised in the U.S. You have many misspellings in your "question." Are you being honest?

Answer 7

HAHA, that's funny. That's complete BS though, I'm the most honest person I know. Blunt/brutally honest. You ask me something, you get an honest answer. And I know I'm not the only honest woman out there, but I do agree that a lot of women are two-faced. I have have also noticed that men actually lie more than women, American men to be exact.

Answer 8

I know women from other countries that would put any of us American women to shame with the lies they tell. Not all of us lie. You can only speak from your circle. You probably choose the type of women that lie. Most nice people get stuck with liars. That goes for male or female. You should change the type of girls you usually date to something different. Look for other qualities than you usually do.

Answer 9

Researched and documented by whom? It's not just women or women in the south. It is human. If any men were researched did they lie by omission. Like I said it is human, no one is raised like this.

Answer 10

Americans like to boast and brag and lead people to b elieve that they have the best of everything. They also like being arrogant and cocky and push people around. They think they are the dominant country in the world and that other countries should kiss the ground they walk on so, in order to keep up this image, they lie constantly, cheat, exaggerate, and tell tales that may or may not be true. Most people like peanut butter sandwiches, americans like bs sandwiches.

Answer 11

I disagree that with you generalizing women.

I think being dishonest with someone to spare their feelings holds a different value than maliciously being dishonest. The same can be said for men however I don't think this is the proper forum to have a battle of the sexes.

It sounds as if your professor is a sexist. He ought to back up his statements with facts rather than generalized emotional statements.

Ask me any question you want, I'll be completely honest with you.