I think this gets even more confusing when you are living with who I believe is a Pathological Liar.
A guy I know will lie about anything, withholds information, makes stories up (which are incredibly nonsensical) and will tell children fact’s interspersed with ‘nonsense’.
I have argued with him several times that by behaving like this, I cannot trust him. He cannot change (he is in his 50’s).
My son, asks me at times whether Tony is telling the truth or not, and I ask my son what does he think. He is six years old and will say “I think he’s lying”.
It’s a shame that my son has been introduced to this idiot because before then, he didn’t have any concept of lying. Now, he will lie to me as well (like says he’s brushed his teeth when I know he hasn’t).
I know he was going to learn about lying sooner or later, but I just wish it wasn’t by this ‘professional’ liar.
Him and me argue (this man) about lying and in his case, he doesn’t know the difference between lying and pretending.
To me, there are all sorts of lies. Sometimes people lie and then when they are found out will say that they were only joking (e.g. silly example – “someone’s at the door”, you go to answer it and there is no one. Lie or Joke ? If it wasted your time and you didn’t see the funny side of it ?? And after continuous ‘joking’ like that, would you TRUST that person to tell you the truth). So in that case, what started out as a JOKE, ends up being a case of mistrusting that person’s word at a later occasion.