Truth and Lies

@KattyBlum brings this quote from Orson Scott Card‘s Ender’s Game:

Sometimes lies were more dependable than the truth.

I don’t have my copy right here in front of my, but as far as I can remember, Ender has just been told, by a doctor “This will sting a little” (or words to that effect).  Ender reflects on the fact that usually, when an adult tells him something will hurt a little or not at all, it really means alot of pain is about to occur.

He is, of course, not disappointed in his prediction.

Sometimes you can tell more about what’s happening around you by what’s not said, than what is said.  Likewise, you can tell what’s important by what gets hidden behind lies.

If you observe the pattern of lies used around you, you can generally get a better picture of the truth than if you only listen to the truth being told.  This is because the truth is often incomplete; while lies, when detected, will cause you to dig more, and find the edges that are hidden.

So next time someone lies to you, thank them for leading you to the truth.