is witholding information from someone the same as lying?

Question

or would it be classed as deceitful???

Answer 1

i would say deceitful....but if you were to be asked about it and you were to still withold the info then its lying

Answer 2

Got to depend on why you're withholding and from whom, obviously if it's the police it's a bad move.
If it's to protect because the information is harmful, who will be harmed you or the other person?
If total honesty means other people get hurt for no reason other than honesty then I think thats when honesty gets selfish and I would not consider it deceitful.
If honesty meant someone's opinion of me would change, and not for the better, I guess I'd have to think hard, but hope I had enough character to right the wrong.

However, I work in a hospital, the difficult scenario there is the classic of families/relatives wanting to protect loved ones from bad news. Typically we would try and encourage a situation where both parties are given bad news together to try and support them together and avoid risk of problems. But it isn't black & white, and I guess in some respects yes it is deceitful and we probably use deceit through avoiding direct answers rather than actively lying. So if the question isn't asked, Dr's might not immediately volunteer information.

You ask though is it the same and I think I would say no it isn't. Deceit can be through omission, or exaggeration, even simple stuff, like the angler's fish being a whole bigger after it got away.

I defintely think life has a little room for both, most of us do it and usually with good intent. How hurtful it would be at times if we had total honesty. How many people have we met who we didn't necessary like that much but we tolerate because others close to us like them, bad enough if someones mouth runs away at the xmas do due to excess alcohol...!

Good question though, honest.

kuta, xx

Answer 3

Depends on the information and the effect it would have on the person you're witholding it from. In general no but in an important situation the yeah I suppose it is both lying by omission and decietful by design

Answer 4

No That's not lieing and sometimes its not deceitful, it depends on the situation, if telling something would cause another person to be in danger i wouldn't tell. But I never Lie.
Good Question though very thought prevoking, Have you been slapped by a Carp by any chance?
Lmao Sorry I couldn't help that one hun, xxx

Answer 5

If I refuse to answer your question, I am withholding information, but that doesn't make me a liar per se. Deceitful people are just basically dishonest. To the cops or in a court of law, it may be classified differently, mine was a matter of opinion.

Answer 6

Witholding information CAN get you prosecuted....
I don`t know if there is a Right or Wrong answer for that, it depends on the information and whether you think it benefits the person NOT to tell.
It`s a moral decision.

Answer 7

I hate lying but I do avoid metioning certain things sometimes. It can sometimes be deceitful, it depends on the information.

Answer 8

I think both, if that person ever finds out their feelings will be very hurt and then they won't feel that they can trust you anymore... Sometimes its a hard thing to decide on... hurt their feelings by telling the honest truth or run the chance of them finding out in the future... I guess it depends on the situation what you should do, but I would definately classify it under all of the above... :)

Answer 9

NO! Lord have mercy, my mother would call that lying all the time and it drove me CRAZY! It's not a lie if I don't tell you anything, it's just deceitful.

Answer 10

well...
i suppose if it for a good cause then it would be ok..
i mean like.. if it was good for someone not to know the thing. then thats fine, or if ur witholding info from someone who the info has nothing to do with then thats ok aswell
but i guess its a bit mean not to tell someone something if they have a right to know and want to know!!
X