Are half truths better than lies?

Conceptually, it would seem that half-truths are better than lies insofar as they are closer to the truth. This is especially true for half-truths where the false or deceptive part qualifies as a “white” lie (e.g., “I’ve never said one bad word about your mother to anyone” when you’ve only written bad things about her in your private journal). But in practice, I think it really depends on context. A half-truth might be more likely to successfully deceive someone insofar as it contains, by definition, an element of truth. And a convincing half-truth can be much worse than an obvious lie.

Suppose, for example, that you want to buy a gift for a mutual acquaintance and ask me what their favorite food is. If I say “they like anything with arsenic in it,” you’re probably going to know that I’m lying and trying to get you to harm the person. But if I say “they like anything with chocolate and peanut butter,” you’re more likely to believe me and not consider the possibility that someone can like something while simultaneously being deathly allergic to it. So in that case, the seemingly innocent half-truth is worse—and more dangerous—than the blatantly malicious lie.

These might be silly examples, but they at least demonstrate the possibility of half-truths being worse than lies (even if they aren’t always worse than lies).

Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister, believed that you could control people by continually repeating a few extraordinarily big lies.

Context is everything.

I think half-truths are generally worse, if done purposefully. It is deception, plain and simply, but has just enough truth to add doubt as to whether it is a lie or not.

Half truths are like white lies…they’re both bullshit!
As my dentist says, “I want the tooth, the whole tooth & nothing but the tooth!”

They have dentists in the UK?

Hahahaha, did you write that yourself or steal it from the 1952 book of clown gags?

Darn it, you caught me!

Half truths are more dangerous.
By weaving some truth in the lie it enforces credibility of the lie and that makes it dangerous.
It’s the wolf in sheep’s clothing…

No, you caught yourself, I shall look forward to your inevitable next engagement.
You just can’t help yourself man :D

Half truths are just as bad because they are misleading.

@lucillelucillelucille easy with that wolf analogy….

@seawulf575 My baaaaad. :D

@ucme I think it is age. My filter is done been worn out and I just don’t see the point behind filtering anymore.

@seawulf575 I mean, there’s always instant coffee…pretty piss poor but better than nowt.

Yes, there is always instant coffee, but really…I ask you…what’s the point? It’s like saying there’s decaf….yuch!