out sick, philosophical quandary for the day

[cimorene]

today has been a day for napping. i called in sick, emailed my professor that i felt like shit, took a nap. and another. but my head is starting to hurt so i think i'll toddle back off to bed now.

what exactly is lying by omission, hm?

like. if you're asked if you're in a relationship, and you have a fuck-buddy but you say 'i'm not even romantically interested in anyone.' that's unequivocally yes.

of course, if you know, say, sara's weight, and people are discussing how much people weigh, and you don't mention it, that's not a lie by omission. if they wonder what she weighs and you don't tell them, that's still pretty clearly not one.

what about, though, if you know something that's pertinent--deeply relevant, you feel--to a discussion, and you hold it back for one reason or another? without any prompting or asking about it or any inkling on the part of the other party that they're something they ought to ask you--

--what is that?

Comments

[lido-kitty.livejournal.com]

The first is a lie, period. The second could be considered a lie by omission by some people, though not me. The third definitely is one.

Basically, for me it's anything that, if asked, you might lie about because it's really better for you (or your friends or blah blah blah), but that, since no-one asks you directly about, you simply won't mention. And you'll probably/certainly be glad no-one asked, because you're maybe not comfortable really lying, so you do your best to make people not ask.

Did that make any sense?

Also, *huggle* As someone whose teachers don't-have-Internet-and-thus-can't-email-and-would-have-been-damn-glad-to-if-she-could-have-today, I'm sternly ordering you back to bed.

[ajodasso.livejournal.com]

Ah, c'est les choses de coeur, oui? Very glad you're feeling better, and hope the sickness clears up soon *mwah*

not implying anything are we?

[kwirbx.livejournal.com]

The thirds a hard one. You only think it's relevant. What if it turns out that it has no relevance to the conversation? Okay, so say it's something really obvious and you KNOW that it's important. I suppose then it depends on how you feel about lying. If you don't feel bad about lying, feel free to conceal the info...and perhaps feel free to not feel bad if found out. If it's some sort of moral dilema for ya, more thought goes into it. What're the concequences for not telling, and what are they for telling? How much do you think the other person values the truth? Another way of looking at it is, if you have to think about it too much, then it's probably lying.