[WarOnPrivacy]

> lying is bad

I taught my kids otherwise.

I found that lying is no more intrinsically bad than truth telling is intrinsically good. Both truth and lies commonly enable terrible harms.

Like pretty much everything, it depends. Consideration is a much better policy than honesty.

> lying is bad, especially when done for profit.

This so often ends up in a bad place that I'll likely flag it as problematic - even before I have complete information. But that's because of reality & history, not an arbitrary rule.

[awb]

To clarify, are you advocating for the use of white lies in situations where the truth would do greater harm? Or are you promoting lying to larger degrees?

[WarOnPrivacy]

I appreciate your sincere questions.

> To clarify, are you advocating for the use of white lies in situations where the truth would do greater harm?

I'm not advocating for truth or lies but for outcomes. Based on this, I think trying to qualify lies is the wrong place to focus.

One reason I'll lie is to convey more useful information. Lets say I have a mild ailment that weird and not easily explained. It's impacting my productivity. People who are impacted need a brief explanation. They don't need a rabbit hole or an organ recital or a reason to lose their lunch. I'll lie. I'll say I have a different ailment, one that signals my limitations and closes the subject.

Other reasons I might lie. To avoid a situation where a truth will cause someone pointless pain. To avoid an immediate bad outcome for someone - that a truth would cause now but would work well later. The deciding factor in play in these two is consideration. Their well being is better served thru consideration than by a rigid rule.

> Or are you promoting lying to larger degrees?

I am promoting consideration for others over a rule that is rigid by it's nature.

Looking at the other side, I will sometimes tell the truth where it isn't well received. Q: Can you keep a secret? A:No.