ABOUT FALSITY, DECEPTION AND LIES

As far as the world is concerned, falsity is present in our daily lives, and even more amnd more often used among relatives and friends. So, just to beome aware of how unjust this is, let’s give a few definitions of what these words really mean (information taken form the Wikipedia):

Falsity (from Latin falsitas) or falsehood is a perversion of truth originating in the deceitfulness of one party, and culminating in the damage of another party. Falsity is also a measure of the quality or extent of the falseness of something, while a falsehood may also mean simply an incorrect (false) statement, independent of any intention to deceive.

Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth (as in half-truths or omission). Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment. There is also self-deception as in bad faith.

Deception is a major relational transgression that often leads to feelings of betrayal and distrust between relational partners. Deception violates relational rules and is considered to be a negative violation of expectations. Most people expect friends, relational partners, and even strangers to be truthful most of the time. If people expected most conversations to be untruthful, talking and communicating with others would require distraction and misdirection to acquire reliable information. On a given day, it is likely that most human beings will either deceive or be deceived by another person.

Deception includes several types of communications or omissions that serve to distort or omit the complete truth. Deception itself is intentionally managing verbal and/or nonverbal messages so that the message receiver will believe in a way that the message sender knows is false. Intent is critical with regard to deception. Intent differentiates between deception and an honest mistake. The Interpersonal Deception Theory explores the interrelation between communicative context and sender and receiver cognitions and behaviours in deceptive exchanges.

The five primary forms of deception are:

1. Lies: making up information or giving information that is the opposite or very different from the truth.
2. Equivocations: making an indirect, ambiguous, or contradictory statement.
3. Concealments: omitting information that is important or relevant to the given context,or engaging in behavior that helps hide relevant information.
4. Exaggeration: overstatement or stretching the truth to a degree.
5. Understatement: minimization or downplaying aspects of the truth.

A disguise is an appearance to create the impression of being somebody or something else; for a well-known person this is also called incognito.

Simulation consists of exhibiting false information. There are three simulation techniques: mimicry (copying another model), fabrication (making up a new model), and distraction (offering an alternative model).

This may happen in order to get someone's attention from the truth by offering bait or something else more tempting to divert attention away from the object being concealed.

A lie (also called prevarication, falsehood) is a type of deception in the form of an untruthful statement, especially with the intention to deceive others.

To lie is to state something with disregard to the truth with the intention that people will accept the statement as truth.

A liar is a person who is lying, who has previously lied, or who tends by nature to lie repeatedly - even when not necessary.

Lying is typically used to refer to deceptions in oral or written communication. Other forms of deception, such as disguises or forgeries, are generally not considered lies, though the underlying intent may be the same. However, even a true statement can be used to deceive. In this situation, it is the intent of being overall untruthful rather than the truthfulness of any individual statement that is considered the lie.

But, remember that lying takes longer than telling the truth.