[Mageia-discuss] Cultural difference: "Let your yes be yes" <---> "It is rude to say no"

[andre999]

peter f miller a écrit :
> On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 11:10 AM, Johnny A. Solbu<cooker at solbu.net>  wrote:
>    
>> I am an person who have leard a few ways to avoid answering without beeing rude, without the questioneer knowing while beeing truthfull in what I say. :-)=
>>      
> You're not really being as truthful as you seem to think. Part of the
> definition of a lie is "something meant to deceive or give a wrong
> impression". Regardless of whether or not what you are saying is
> literally true, looking away from someone and saying you don't see
> them is by your own admission something you are doing to give a wrong
> impression and so it's a lie just the same.
>
>    
Exactly.
And someone who, by good intentions or misinterpretation, seems to 
promise something that they later don't follow through with, would in 
fact not be lying.
It is intentionally misleading others that consistutes lying.

Further, the expression "white lie" refers to misleading others for a 
socially positive goal, such as saying that someone who is sensitive 
about their weight is "not fat", or telling Khadafi's henchmen that you 
did't know of any neighbours who opposed his regime (when they all did).

Which contrasts with another approach that can be taken, diversion.
Someone asks if you have seen someone, and you respond with a question, 
such as why they are looking for them.  And further questions if 
necessary so that they forget about their original question.
Of course that could be seen as dishonest as well, and possibly socially 
positive depending on the circumstances.

-- 
André