Lies and Lying Liars

Why do we lie? We know that all the politicians lie, and we know why they lie. They are trying to be everything to everybody. But, why do the rest of us lie? And, we do, you know, much of the time, and some people lie all the time. And, they lie when the truth would be easier.








I was in one of the shops that sold the Playtex brand in Branson a few years ago, looking for, ahem, an undergarment. I wanted a specific item, one I had been buying for years. I didn't find it, so I asked the saleswoman about it, and she said, "Oh, they don't make that one any more." Fortunately, I knew she was lying, because that particular item was in a Springfield Penney's ad in the local paper.


So, why did she lie? She was hoping that I would cave in and buy something she and I both knew I wouldn't like, because, if my preference was no longer available anywhere, then I'd have to change to another one, and buy it there. But, does that excuse the lie? In my humble opinion, no.


"Does this make me look fat?" The answer to this question is always, ALWAYS, "No." It doesn't matter if it is a lie or not. If it's a lie, it's just, well, a fib, or a little white lie. It spares someone's feelings, and besides, who needs all that drama at 7 a.m.?


"Did you check my brakes?" This kind of question requires the truth. Not, "I think Bubba did that." If you didn't check them, say so. I'll forgive you and you can drive the car back in and do it now. All I will have lost is some time, as opposed to, say, my life.


But, the worst lies, it seems to me, are told by the television news media.

Truman Capote stated years ago not in these exact words, that "all news would eventually be nothing more than gossip." And, what is news these days but gossip, insinuation, speculation and exaggeration? They make the most outrageous statements purported to be fact and then constantly have to backtrack and correct themselves. Meanwhile the damage is done.

I wish they would go back to reporting the news and backing it up with at least 2 sources verifying it.

And, of course, there are the charities.

Remember what happened after 9/11, when the United Way was supposed to disburse funds collected to the victims and their families? Hundreds of Millions of dollars, and where did all of it go? We'll never really know. We do know that some of it went to people who lied about being victims. We can probably assume that some of the money went into the pockets of the people administering the funds.

Another example of fraud on both sides of a catastrophe is Katrina. What a mess that was. And, it is ongoing.

So, who do you believe?

Personally, I believe anyone who tells me I don't look fat in what I'm wearing. That, my friends, is an honest man.