Lies

I've been thinking a lot lately... about lies / lying. What constitutes a lie? Must a lie be a deliberate non-truth being told to be considered a lie? Is it typically in response to a question? Can it be a lie simply by omission? Omission of details, omission of information? (The "lying by omission" thing is something I believe strongly in, by the way. It's been done to me many-a-time.)

Not only WHAT constitutes a lie, but WHY do people lie? I've heard various reasons and excuses, like... "I didn't want to hurt you." "I didn't think it was a lie if I just wasn't telling you." "It was just a little "white lie," which isn't really a lie at all." And there are those that will deny and deny that they've lied at all, even though they clearly have... and it's often scary how convinced they are (with themselves) that they didn't lie, and how convincing they can sometimes be to others. And don't forget the pathological liars... what fun that can be when you know one (or more) of those.

I've been working my way through Season 2 DVDs of Grey's Anatomy, making sure I have seen all the episodes before the Season 3 premier next Thurs., and the following lines were said:

"But, here's the truth about the truth...

It hurts.

So... we lie."

"Meredith"

Grey's Anatomy

All things considered, I'd rather be told the truth and have it hurt, than be lied to and deceived.