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

Sat Jul 14 01:44:53 CEST 2012

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
+
+