Mister Bump UK

Does my Bum Look Big in This?

I could set my clock by Fandango’s Provocative Question (actually, I probably could, although I never tried). But Wednesay’s mean just one thing. Today, Fandango asks:

Is it even possible to live a normal life and to not ever tell a lie?

I don’t think I get through each day without telling a lie of some sort. As Fandango’s blurb says, to avoid hurting another person’s feelings, or somesuch. In a marriage, for sure, there are certain questions where there is a standard answer. “Of course not, darling, your ass looks every bit as pert as it did the day we first met”, for example.

Whereas, if we gave the question any serious thought, our answer would be “what exactly are you hoping to achieve by asking me a question which can only have one answer? Are you trying to provoke a row?”

But we keep the peace. There are other lies:

  • It is all the fault of the Christians…
  • It is all the fault of the Jews…
  • It is all the fault of the Muslims…

or, along a different tack:

  • It is all the fault of the gays…

or even:

  • There are WMD in Iraq. Do you remember that one?

which are simply unacceptible. So what’s the difference between the two?

I’m interested in people’s views here, but for my money, the difference is the severity of the consequences. Is someone going to be harmed as a result of the lie? What do you think?

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Published by Mister Bump UK

Divorced, grown/flown daughter. In life, I designed IT systems, taking a career break as a bicycle mechanic, until interrupted by a stroke in 2016, aged 48. As I convalesced, I combined the development of health-related apps with voluntary work, and began writing. After a stint working again in IT, I now write full-time, and use my blog space to let my hair down.

15 comments

  3. I bust out laughing at the title of this one Pete. But to get to the serious side, I am married to an addictive liar. It has caused so much mayhem in my life, and psin that I say any lying is not good. He lies sbout both big things snd little thing and I ysed to act on them, not knowin it was a lie! But I do think that it depends who it benefits. And even then maybe the answer is not clear cut. A white lue can doa lot of good. So it’s complicated. Great question though.

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  4. In my case, I do not ask that kind of question unless I want an honest answer, so I appreciate my husband’s polite honesty if he says something along the lines of “your bum is fine, but those pants are not flattering” or “you can do better, try something else on”, and I feel confident to go out if the answer is “no, you look great”

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  5. We lie when we tell our kids that there is a Santa Claus or that the tooth fairy put the money under the pillow in exchange for that tooth that fell out. Are these harmful lies? Probably not. But they are lies, nonetheless, and the example we’re setting is that it’s okay to lie.

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  6. It is possible to evade the polite lie by countering with a question on a different topic. However, it may not be worth the effort. I suppose you could say there are “lies of courtesy” versus “material lies.” The courtesy lies include besides the example you give the caller who immediately asks “how are you?” when you know darned well they really don’t give a hoot about the answer. But it’s polite to ask. A material lie has substance and impact.

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    • Actually, I feel that example in a different way. I do some voluntary work for an elderly charity, which involves calling clients. I will always ask how they are but it worries me if they say “not good” (which some are inclined to do) because, ultimately, there is nothing I can do about it.

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  8. I’ve told many a little white lie in my time to save someone being hurt i.e. to my friend when she had a ‘pixie’ haircut which just didn’t suit her square-shaped face. Only recently I was laughing, telling her about it and she was mad as hell, “You should have told me years ago, you let me walk around like that!”

    Okay, and I’ve told a few big ones too, to save my own skin! Lol.

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