21/04/2008 - Monday

Lie (vi.) - 2. anything that gives a false impression

Lie - three letters, three small letters. Who would have thought that three small letters can be such a large accusation against someone ("You lie! Tell the truth!"), and have such a large implication ("I can't trust you, and you know it. If you hadn't lied to me... maybe things would be different, but... I can't trust you. I'm sorry.").

And the dictionary definition of lie... a false impression. I never knew... A false impression; but aren't we all guilty of looking different in other people's eyes to how we view ourselves? Therefore... are we all liars, deep down? I know that I certainly express myself, and act differently with different audiences. I suppose this means that I am lying to some of my friends... but then... I have never stopped to think of myself as a liar, never even thought that my false impressions on people might be viewed as adverse.

Are we all liars, or is a false impression not a lie? Or rather, can we comfort ourselves with the idea that perhaps the dictionary isn't right in this instance, that a false impression... no, certainly, not I, a Good Person, I could never lie.

To others perhaps, but to myself... it is true. I cannot lie. Then... is it right to give others a false impression of myself?

I cannot answer that, and that is not a lie.

"Aiyu estelio ach nad, estelio ahn ... estelio amnen ..." - If you trust in nothing else, trust this ... trust us … - JRR Tolkien