4 ms·

I dunno, "lies we tell ourselves" doesn't sound like a very good essay. Since we don't know about the lies we tell ourselves, it would have to be "lies I see o

by hugh 18y ago

I dunno, "lies we tell ourselves" doesn't sound like a very good essay. Since we don't know about the lies we tell ourselves, it would have to be "lies I see other people telling themselves". And that pretty much translates to "Things that other people believe that I disagree with", which is a fairly boring topic for an essay.

robg 18y ago
When's the last time you had an honest discussion with anyone about: a) Sex (e.g., Do you satisfy your partner?) b) Death (e.g., Was your life meaningful?) c) Formal Education (e.g., If not, then what?) d) Identity (e.g., Who are you?) e) Authority (e.g., Who tells you what to do?) I don't know, honesty seems much harder than settling on lies to tell ourselves.
- danohuiginn 18y ago
  I have these kinds of discussion fairly often. In fact, I probably wouldn't consider somebody a friend until we'd had that kind of conversation. I find it hard to judge if that's unusual - maybe it is in other social circles? I take the point that avoiding self-deception is hard, maybe impossible. But that's no different from talking about science, or history, or just about anything else.
  - robg 18y ago
    That self-deception is exactly what I was getting at. I have no doubt that many have these discussions but it's so much easier to lie during them. I'd argue it's different in kind from science or history exactly because there's no independent record that can be consulted. Indeed, I can't see many parents lying to their kids about science or history because it would be so straight-forward to identify the lie. No, the lies seem much more personal exactly because we're already telling them to ourselves. Thus the sequel essay.
    - danohuiginn 18y ago
      ah, in that case I do agree - and we're talking about something that huge swathes of philosophers, psychologists, social scientists and miscellaneous intellectuals have spent their lives arguing about. That isn't to deny that a pg contribution could be illuminating!
      - Radix 18y ago
        I recently found this forum and I am very happy I did. It is nice to see a threads of discussion end in agreement. That doesn't seem possible in many other places.

by hugh 18y ago

robg 18y ago

When's the last time you had an honest discussion with anyone about: a) Sex (e.g., Do you satisfy your partner?) b) Death (e.g., Was your life meaningful?) c) Formal Education (e.g., If not, then what?) d) Identity (e.g., Who are you?) e) Authority (e.g., Who tells you what to do?) I don't know, honesty seems much harder than settling on lies to tell ourselves.

danohuiginn 18y ago
I have these kinds of discussion fairly often. In fact, I probably wouldn't consider somebody a friend until we'd had that kind of conversation. I find it hard to judge if that's unusual - maybe it is in other social circles? I take the point that avoiding self-deception is hard, maybe impossible. But that's no different from talking about science, or history, or just about anything else.
- robg 18y ago
  That self-deception is exactly what I was getting at. I have no doubt that many have these discussions but it's so much easier to lie during them. I'd argue it's different in kind from science or history exactly because there's no independent record that can be consulted. Indeed, I can't see many parents lying to their kids about science or history because it would be so straight-forward to identify the lie. No, the lies seem much more personal exactly because we're already telling them to ourselves. Thus the sequel essay.
  - danohuiginn 18y ago
    ah, in that case I do agree - and we're talking about something that huge swathes of philosophers, psychologists, social scientists and miscellaneous intellectuals have spent their lives arguing about. That isn't to deny that a pg contribution could be illuminating!
    - Radix 18y ago
      I recently found this forum and I am very happy I did. It is nice to see a threads of discussion end in agreement. That doesn't seem possible in many other places.