So-And-So Can't Lie

People often say things that are obnoxiously false. Perhaps they don't realize exactly what it is that they are saying, or maybe they just haven't thought about it very carefully. But regardless of what they may or may not think, they often don't seem the least bit daunted by the fact that they have made a statement that is utterly erroneous.

Consider the statement “so-and-so can't lie.” I have heard such assertions used to describe people surprisingly often. But is such a statement accurate? Is it really true that the said person cannot lie? To begin our investigation, it seems that we must ask what exactly could have happened that would lead a person to express such a statement.

Perhaps “so-and-so” may simply be bad at lying. When asked a direct question (such as “did you do this?”), the validity of his response is betrayed by his tone, facial expression and body language. In other words, despite (say) his denial of responsibility, his tone, facial expression and body language clearly indicate his guilt. In addition, perhaps such situations have cropped up several times, which in itself could lead a person to conclude “so-and-so can't lie.”

Another option is that “so-and-so” doesn't lie. He may be completely honest at all times. If someone wants to know what he thinks about something, they simply ask him and he tells them what he thinks. If he is guilty of doing something, he openly admits it. Again, if “so-and-so” consistently displays such honesty, it is possible that others may conclude that he “can't lie.” This leads us to the crux of our problem.

The problem with a statement like “so-and-so can't lie” is specifically the word can't. If you say that “so-and-so can't walk” because they have no legs, that is one thing. But to say that they “can't lie” is entirely another. The word “can't” implies impossibility. That it is impossible for “so-and-so” to lie. But in order for it to truly be impossible for “so-and-so” to lie, he would have to be unable to communicate in any form whatsoever. If the said person is a bad liar (as explained above), if he has difficulty concealing a lie, it does not follow that he cannot lie. Surely he can, and obviously does, he simply doesn't get away with it. On the other hand, if the said person doesn't lie, if he is honest, it is clearly a mistake to conclude that he can't lie.

A person's actions (which include lying or not lying) are an effect of their will. They are the result of one's choice and initiative. If a person has worked their entire life to be honest because they happen to believe that it is among their moral responsibilities to convey the truth, they have done so as a result of their own conscious choice. It is not that they cannot lie, but rather, they choose to not lie. They may have developed the habit being honest to such a point that they will not lie, but to assume or state that they cannot lie, is to assume that they have no control over their own choices and actions. It is to assume that that is just the “way they are” and that the individual has absolutely no role to play in their actions.

Not only is the statement “so-and-so can't lie” false, but it is also blatantly insulting to “so-and-so.” Some people may accuse me of splitting hairs here, but nonetheless, we should all be more aware of the things we say and the words we use.