billswift comments on Lies and Secrets - Less Wrong

14 Post author: steven0461 08 March 2009 02:43PM

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Comment author: billswift 08 March 2009 05:38:02PM *  7 points [-]

Another problem that make lies worse than keeping secrets is that lies are tailored to be believable - they are often more believable than the truth is unless and until they are specifically investigated.

Also, "The truth is a valuable commodity that we do not automatically owe anyone." From memory from Smith's "Forge of the Elders" - not an argument from fiction, just that I cannot think of a better way of putting it. Of course there are often, I'm tempted to say usually, good reasons to make accurate information available to others, when their actions being based on accurate knowledge improves your well being.