White Lie REVIEW - A Tense Array of Bad Decisions (2024)

FAQs

What is a good example of a white lie? ›

Some examples of white lies include: Telling someone they look great in an outfit. Saying that you are on your way to meet someone so you can't stay and chat. Laughing at a joke that wasn't really funny.

Even well-intentioned white lies can foster disconnection and distrust – openness and honesty really are the best policy.

In some situations, lying might be the ethically better choice. Many of these situations occur in daily life, and many of us resort to telling “white lies” to navigate these situations. Since they concern trivial matters and are usually well-intentioned, perhaps some white lies are justified.

"White lies" can be perceived as an autobiographical poem framed in that racially charged environment. It is clear why the speaker admires being white. The privilege the whites enjoy would look appealing to a child. It could make them think that being white would grant them better treatment in a segregated society.

You tell your husband that his new haircut looks really good because you don't want to hurt his feelings by telling him that you hate the haircut. You respond to someone who invites you on a first date by saying that you have to work late even though you really already have a date with someone else.

Britannica Dictionary definition of WHITE LIE. [count] : a lie about a small or unimportant matter that someone tells to avoid hurting another person. He told a (little) white lie as his excuse for missing the party.

"I didn't see your message/call." "I have read and agree to the terms and conditions." "I'm fine." This is perhaps the most common lie people tell, with 60% of people admitting to telling this lie. Often used as a response to the question "How are you?" when they're really not feeling okay.

Resentment and Frustration: The discovery of white lies can lead to feelings of resentment and frustration, as one partner may feel they are not being fully respected or trusted. Undermining Intimacy: Genuine intimacy relies on trust and transparency.

Bottom line: It depends on how big the lie is. A little white lie is forgivable, but a big, mean lie is not and you may need to reconsider the relationship or seek therapy.

Lying is Destructive: A major reason to avoid lying is that it can destroy the trust that you may have with other people. White lies can grow into even bigger lies and telling white lies can become habit-forming. Also, if you're lying, you may even start to think everyone else is lying. This is no way to live.

Why is white lie unethical? ›

White lies weaken the general presumption that lying is wrong and may make it easier for a person to tell lies that are intended to harm someone, or may make it easier to avoid telling truths that need to be told - for example, when giving a performance evaluation it is more comfortable not to tell someone that their ...

A fallacy about white lies is that they don't matter. In reality, white lies can be more damaging than big lies because there are more opportunities to tell white lies than big lies. It can become a way to communicate to get out of uncomfortable situations. It can become your standard operating procedure.

White symbolizes purity and innocence while black has more negative connotations such as evil. It is ironic that a white lie is meant to be harmless and innocent however she was punished for it and she had to be cleansed of it. How do you cleanse something that is already the ultimate example of purity and cleanliness?

Throughout the poem, “White Lies”, Natasha Tretheway was able to show the difficulty of growing up biracial by using different literary elements that include puns, irony, and flashbacks to demonstrate how self-love is required in order to find one's identity.

The poem, “White Lies,” is a prime example of Trethewey's phenomenal work and conveys an important, and quite dejected, message. Trethewey clearly defines her attitude as embarrassed and ashamed of her upbringing in a biracial family.

The Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, magic, are probably the most common white lies parents tell their children. Harmless stories that keep the wonder and innocence of childhood alive.

An untruth told to spare feelings or from politeness, as in She asked if I liked her dress, and of course I told a white lie . This term uses white in the sense of “harmless.” [ First half of 1700s]

An example of a white lie is telling a child “Good job!” even when it's not true, to promote positive emotions. Separately, children were asked whether they'd been told similar lies.