Telling a 'small' untruth in order to avoid an embaracing scene, is a tactful way of circumventing the pitfalls of everyday social life. Or so they say…….

Shades of truth

The white lie is an untruth that is uttered for what are usually considered minor and unimportant matters. A white lie simply serves to avoid social embarrassment and is not at all a malicious falsehood. These 'little' lies are considered to be nearly indispensable in everyday life that is, if our world is to continue to exist! Let me explain myself with a question I will pose to you, a presumably honest reader who disapproves of lying.
Let's say you meet a friend and he or she is very excited with a recent purchase -a pair of rather tight jeans for instance. So he or she comes up to you pirouettes to show off the fit, obviously expecting from you a compliment on a pair of jeans that you wouldn't be caught dead wearing. So, I ask you, what do you say?
Do you tell this person (pretend it's a girl, worse!) that jeans and all tight clothing just don't look good on her and suffer the inevitable fallout? Or do you let sleeping dogs lie (pun unintended but greatly enjoyed) and even enquire where she found such a fantastic pair that make her look, oh, so sexy?
I believe that some tactful fibbing is a must - except if you are one of those 'lucky' people who wouldn't care less about unnecessarily provoking anger by telling everything like it is. These in-your-face people however, are not as fortunate as we would think because for all their directness and honesty, they are the lonliest, friend- starved, most miserable creatures outside zoo cages. (Not that’s Ethiopians have the luxury of a zoo but that another Society topic). Strange how a positive such as the virtuous trait of honesty - is punishable by solitude Ah, the mysteries of this world are never ending.
Try as we might (because we really don't want to rock the boat) it is nearly impossible for us to avoid telling or receiving white lies. Frankly, I must admit that I do not take criticism too well. I'm only human and naturally desire positive re-enforcement rather than often cynical commentary. So whenever I ask one of my friends what they thought of a recent article of mine, I expect and get glaringly white lies of amazed admiration, expressing profound appreciation of my literary "masterpiece”. Bless them. Bless you too as you are the best person in the world…Happy Easter.

Do you lie so as not to offend?

The person I tell a white lie to most often is my girlfriend. I used to be more naïve when I met her a couple of years ago - and suffered the consequences. Whenever she asked me to comment on her appearance, I would answer honestly with, for example: " The bag doesn't match your shoes" or " The way you put on mascara makes you look cheap….." I have learned my lesson well and have become more tactful. A little lying is no big deal but quite a vital weapon in especially, the war between the sexes.

Bogale K, 31
Registrar

I am totally against the telling of any falsehood. I also think it is laughable that there is such a thing as an "innocent lie". Our culture is replete with many customs that promote white lies. The most audacious among these, in my opinion, is the Ethiopian adage that maintains one should even resort to lying in the interest of meditating quarrels.

Samrawit, 22
Amatuer actress