She could be Pinocchio or the puppet master

[alvincasey]

Lies are manipulation

If you are human and can think and reason, you have lied more than once and will again, before you die. We lie to ourselves, to our friends, our loved ones, in school, and in the workplace. Lies, in part, are used to protect, survive, deflect, to manipulate, and to help navigate one’s way out of any given situation. Many believe George Washington was in fact able to tell a lie, but they haven’t put forth any evidence of this.

In fact, if you are reading this, and say to yourself you never lie, YOU JUST DID.

The truth is lies are a necessary part of life. The ones we tell ourselves, to make us and others feel good, are acceptable. Why? Because we can control the manipulation. For example, we tell our children from day one, that Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy are real. These lies are popular, they are expected, passed on, and celebrated.

When we come to realize we have been manipulated without our permission, and believe something to be true, when in reality it's not, only then does the lie become offensive.

Why? When we lose control of our sense and sensibility, it puts into question our intelligence. A sense of shame, rage, and even guilt overcomes us when reality hits, which makes us aware that we were outsmarted by a more skillful opponent.

At any given point in our lives, we are either the manipulator or the manipulated. To know for sure, when you look in the mirror, do you see Pinocchio or the puppet master?

[Leonharted]

Alright.