Why do we prevaricate?

[slobake]

Don't prevaricate, tergiversate. It's easier to wiggle out of.

Would you like maple syrup with your waffles?

 

[slobake]

Are you trying to tell me that is food? Lies, lies, lies. all of it lies!

 

[slobake]

People lie for a lot of reasons. To further their agenda, to cover up the truth, to impress others, to commit a crime, to save face, or because they are a sociopath or a psychopath.
Why do people steal? Why do people commit murder? Engage in Adultery? Because we are flawed individuals. Free will gives us the opportunity to do wrong as well as right. Sometimes we choose poorly. And sometimes, people are just plain evil.

Ah, at last an honest man, can I interest you in a genuine American made bass. What? yup that MX before the serial number means it's made in America.

 

[slobake]

“It’s in mint condition!”

And it will make your breath smell better too.

 

[slobake]

I would lie to get some tuna noodle casserole, not to avoid it.

 

[JazznFunk]

Why do some people lie? Because they haven't faced consequences for a lie yet in their lives. As long as lying harms others and not themselves, people get addicted to it. Only when someone has a lie catch up to them do they reconsider the practice. Some people absolutely feel no remorse for lying. If they don't, then they're usually a pathological liar.

 

[slobake]

I think everybody learns at a young age to lie to avoid rejection and / or punishment
And it happens so early in life that it becomes an almost automatic response for us
religious, philosophical and social proscriptions against lying evolved as a counter to this impulse
part of being a mature adult is mindfulness of this natural tendency, and conscientiously countering it.

alternatively you can be a billionaire and just pay people to adhere to your BS



I also prefer to think of "truth" as an objective , externally verifiable phenomena ( thanks to Carl Sagan ) . This can be hard to square that view with the popular Idea of "many people, many truths" Over time I've come to see things as "One truth, infinite viewpoints."

Since we live in a world of other people, skillful navigation of that world requires appreciating the existence of multiple views, as dismissing the views of others generally yields poor outcomes. It helps to understand the reality that everyone's feelings - the literal neural paths and chemicals signals - are also "true" ( in the sense that yes, those chemical signals really exist, and they are really making them feel that way ) The circuitry of emotion is more deeply rooted evolutionarily than our reasoning faculties, and isa not easily dismissed. A feeling can result form on a lie or propaganda or misunderstanding, but "correcting" that misunderstanding never actually reduces feeling itself.

You make way too much sense. Are you sure you didn't make all this up?

 

[slobake]

I had to look up definition of 'prevaricate'. No lie!

I used a thesaurus to look up the word "fib."

 

[slobake]

I have read all of the responses here talking about how "other people" lie. Yeesh, what a bunch of liars.

 

[JazznFunk]

I have read all of the responses here talking about how "other people" lie. Yeesh, what a bunch of liars.

Or, consider that all of us have lied, and if one has faced consequences for it, we have learned how to grow and re-frame our position on lying once we are aware of it. So when we talk about 'other people' lying, it's because we see ourselves in people who still do it.... kind of like when a recovering alcoholic sees a drunk person's repulsive behavior and they say 'man... I remember when that was me! Glad I don't do that anymore.'

 

[slobake]

Why do some people lie? Because they haven't faced consequences for a lie yet in their lives. As long as lying harms others and not themselves, people get addicted to it. Only when someone has a lie catch up to them do they reconsider the practice. Some people absolutely feel no remorse for lying. If they don't, then they're usually a pathological liar.

When I was newly sober I raised my hand in a meeting and said that I am a pathological liar. Everyone in the meeting laughed. At the time I was insulted but now I realize they were laughing because they were all alcoholics and liars too.

 

[ahbradot]

Well, you asked for it.......

 

[DrBnz]

I'm an old man. I love telling the truth. No, I mean the bold, blatant, honest truth. Especially when it makes everybody else cringe. I call it like I see it. It took me my whole live to earn the right to be this honest. Its fun. I like it.... a lot.

 

[slobake]

Or, consider that all of us have lied, and if one has faced consequences for it, we have learned how to grow and re-frame our position on lying once we are aware of it. So when we talk about 'other people' lying, it's because we see ourselves in people who still do it.... kind of like when a recovering alcoholic sees a drunk person's repulsive behavior and they say 'man... I remember when that was me! Glad I don't do that anymore.'

Good observation. Someone mentioned looking at the trees from another angle. Here is an example using your observation. When I was deep into my addiction I saw someone who was worse then I was. I said to myself, "Self, If I ever get as bad as that person I will quit." I was trying to make myself feel better by comparing myself with someone else. That was another lie. I was hurting and in bad shape. Looking at the other person just gave me an excuse for my own behavior.

 

[slobake]

I'm an old man. I love telling the truth. No, I mean the bold, blatant, honest truth. Especially when it makes everybody else cringe. I call it like I see it. It took me my whole live to earn the right to be this honest. Its fun. I like it.... a lot.

I hear you, I am old too. Being honest about myself with others can make them real uncomfortable. I'm hoping that I can go deeper with people I am close too and not play games.
When I take an honest look at myself I can see where I still struggle with the truth sometimes. Like a lot of us the worst can come out in me when I am driving. I think I am the best driver on the road. I get upset when other people make mistakes like getting stuck in an intersection and blocking traffic but if that happens to me I expect everyone to understand that it wasn't my fault. That other guy cut in front of me at the last second and left me stranded in the intersection.
Having grace for others helps me to go easy on myself and makes it easier to deal with my own flaws. The few that I have.

 

[sheesh]

Don't prevaricate, tergiversate. It's easier to wiggle out of.

now I'm gonna have to look that word up too . . .

 

[RattleSnack]

Very interesting question! It points deeper into human ability to understand and value long term vs short term gains. Also, ability to fully understand the cause and consequence relation.

 

[logdrum]

I always blame the dog

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

One of my best friends sometimes tells amazing anecdotes about stuff that happened to him. And I know they're true, because often they happened to me while he was there to witness it; or it'll be something someone told him a week earlier ( and I was there to hear it). Needless to say, I take anything he tells me with a grain of salt. But I don't think he's even aware of doing it.

As for telling it like it is, all for it. Unless it makes you a Richard Cranium and downright insults people. I could tell someone their new haircut is ugly. Or I could shut up and not comment. I don't consider the latter being a lie. Not sure what I'd do if asked for my opinion, though

 

[slobake]

I always blame the dog

I need to get a dog.