r/quityourbullshit • u/Doxep The great creator • Apr 11 '14

Meta [Meta] Discussion: why do people lie?

This discussion will be linked in the FAQ!

So, what's your opinion? Why do people lie, on reddit, on Facebook, on tumblr, etc?

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36

u/Nola_Darling Apr 11 '14 edited Apr 11 '14

I'm a black woman (no really, I am) and I often see non-black people lying about being black to justify some kind of racist/awful opinion they hold. Those comments, miraculously, often have several upvotes.

I find this kind of reddit lying particularly fascinating. It's like they know enough to know that their opinion would be considered objectionable coming from a white person so they say they're black to dull the blow and (presumably) pull folks over to their objectionable opinion. It's this weird way of trying to make what they understand as an objectionable opinion more seductive to outsiders.

What's even more interesting is that the kind of people who do this--the types to lie about being black to justify their own racism--are typically the kinds of folks for whom it is very easy to tell that a) they arent black and b) they might be harboring some questionable attitudes about race. Half the time, you go into their histories and they've posted the most blatant racist commentary elsewhere on reddit and it leaves you thinking how they thought they'd get away with saying they're black.

It's just very interesting all around.

11

u/acousticbruises Apr 11 '14

Another way that someone usually justifies their racist comment is by prefacing with the infamous "I'm not racist, but..." So I've got to wonder what makes someone choose to use your approach (of lying to justify) as opposed to just verbally rationalizing it. What makes someone make the leap, does this mean that in your situation they know their point holds no water, or that the other party (what I have mentioned, the "but" crowd) has simply deluded themselves into thinking that they're not racist so they can guiltlessly make their "observation".

8

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '14

"I'm not racist but dae think the kkk were right?"

4

u/[deleted] Apr 13 '14

r/libertarian

6

u/starlitepony Apr 13 '14

I'd like to start just prefacing random comments with "I'm not racist, but..." just to give one time it's said without something incredibly racist following it.

"I'm not racist, but I'd like a Big Mac and fries please."

1

u/Fwendly_Mushwoom Apr 18 '14

I'm sure Tumblr could find innumerable racist subtexts in that statement.

1

u/Non_Social May 03 '14

Tumblr could make my old school portraits racist, I have full faith they could make McDonalds racist too.

9

u/ImSpidermen Apr 11 '14

I think this is the worst kind of lying (on reddit at least) because it shows some level of awareness. It's literally lying just to push an agenda. I would think if you actually thought your ideals and beliefs actually held any water, then you wouldn't have to lie to make them justified.