August 1, 2000    
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How often do you lie?

I try not to lie too much but if its going to get someone elses feelings hurt i normally try to soften the blow by not telling the complete truth. Which i figure can classify as a lie. I have 'exaggerated' to get a job, is that a lie? I mostly lie to my parents, they dont need to know what i

Emma, 20
Perth AUSTRALIA

There was a time when I lied and stole constantly. Despite never getting caught, I decided to stop at some point, years ago. Now I almost can't lie; when I try, my brain revolts and I can't speak as fluidly as I usually would. When I try to lie these days, it is on the rare occasion that my wife is asking about something like a Xmas present, or when a telemarketer is asking me something personal.

Jesse, 24
Bowie
, MD

I try not to out and out lie. However, I do bend the truth a lot.  Especially when I fear hurting someone's feelings. I'm a complete whimp when it comes to confronting folks with the truth.

Felicia, 34
Somerville
, MA

As little as possible, and then only to avoid the hurt caused if the truth means less to me than it would to whom I'm speaking to.

Megan, 24
Chicago
, IL

Dig this:

As little as possible, but whenever I feel like it.  Lying comes easy to me, having no concrete morals. Despite this,  it bores me. I just quit a job where I was paid to lie (telemarketing), and I am a semiprofessional fiction writer so I have no problem with the idea of lying, I just have never found a lie that had a fraction of the impact of the truth. Lying doesn't make me feel immoral or dishonest as much  as it makes me feel impotent. So I quit my job.

Anthony, 25
Baton Rouge
, LA

I lie about once a day. Most of them are petty little white lies (Yes, you look good" "I liike you're new hair cut!" "No, I don;t mind staying an extra hour for work" stuff like that. But sometimes they are more serious.  My parents are pretty strict, so if I didn;t lie I wouldn;t be bale to do anything. But usually I just keep them to myself, I don;t go through the trouble of making up a story. I just don;t tell anyone.

Meg

I suppose the obvious joke is 'never.' However, between working retail, growing up religious and watching politicians I've learned that there's no reason to lie when you can just be vague.

Alias Irrelevante

I rarely ever lie...honest:).

Socrates One
Lowell, MA

When I feel that I have to, I guess. Not very often.

Karen, 20
Marshelltown/Ames
, IA

Depends on your definition of lying. I'm an awful liar. Ask Anthony. I can't lie to save my life. Oh, believe me, I've tried to lie, but I either give in to guilt and sob "that's not true!" or lie so badly that people know, just KNOW, I'm fibbing. Example: One morning, I woke up and stumbled into Anthony's living room. For some unknown reason, I read his journal (and it's not as awful as it sounds. He only had one entry and that was written last december). Don't get mewrong; I don't USUALLY invade living people's diaries (although I read tons of dead people's... I AM a scholar you realize) but I was half asleep. I didn't tell Anthony.... right away. I waited about 2 hours. I was lying onmy bed thinking "what if he ever asks me if I read his diary? I can't lie to him!" so I called him and confessed. If I remember correctly, he laughed very loudly at me. I'm such a freak. Catholic guilt is the scariest thing in the world, no?

Amy, 23
New Orleans
, LA

only the little social lie occasionally. I don't lie to hurt people, usually to help them or myself look better, or to cover up for something bad.

Karen2, 14
Boston
, MA

not very often. . . .maybe once a week. . . considerably less than most people, I think. . . .Omitting truths or consciously misleading people with half-truths are not really "lies", but I HONESTLY believe I don't do this very often either. . .

mothmc, 35
Los Angeles
, LA

Very little. Distorting reality and manipulating other people are incompatible with my ethical ideals.

Jill, 59
Saylorsburg
, PA

Almost never, maybe just to spare someone's feelings. Lies just won't come out of my mouth, I've thought about it, but it wouldn't work. My Mother did a very good job teaching me about honesty.

Pamela, 39
Sugar Hill
, GA

almost every minute of every day

Jaden, 21
Brampton, Ontario CANADA

I try not to ever lie.

Jami, 27
Lowell
, MA

As rarely as possible.

Jane, 60
West Linn
, OR

As often as necessary.

Firelady, 22
Dallas
, TX

I lie when I have to, or to see if someone cares about me. I don't like to lie, though. I used to be a very compulsive liar. I'm still a good one.

Aurora, 17
Montreal, Quebec CANADA

I am not a liar. I might consider not telling the whole truth to my boss if I were going to a job interview. But I am so "honest" that she already knows I am looking for other jobs. Lies make me feel ill, sick to my stomach.

Tina, 31
Medford
, MA

Not too often I hope!!

Tracy, 24
Ocean City
, NJ

although it's not always intentional, if you count exaggerations, probably everyday.

Angela, 16
SC

Right now I feel like my whole life is a lie! Two weeks ago I found out I'm pregnant... but I can't tell anyone until I get through the 1st trimester, in case I miscarry. It's very upsetting and isolating to not be able to tell anyone...I feel like I could burst!! I'm absolutely ecstatic that I'm

Susan, 31
Chicago
, IL

Not that much. I only lie about trivial things anyway, never anything important.

Shanna, 15
Cardiff ENGLAND

I don't try and do it intentionally, but probably every day.

Janet, 42
E. Brunswick
, NJ

As a general rule, I try to keep my lying to a minimum. I don't lie except to spare somebody the truth, which might hurt, or I omit the true, which is probably the same thing as lying.

Ernest, 29
Washington
, DC

I don't lie. My good name and integrity is very important to me.

Laura, 35
Lowell
, MA

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