I never claimed to be a master liar, and it should be obvious that I'm not one. I don't like doing it, as I find it distasteful, and I don't, but I recognize that certain kinds of material and social success will require deception for 99+% of people.
Most people live in a world of fiction and react horribly to having that fiction refuted, which the truth often does. If you're willing to piss them off and have them hate or reject you (which I often am, because it's endlessly amusing to me) tell the truth to them. If you want smooth relationships with them, offer up a story.
One of those fictions is "Society"; many people have a deep desire to believe that they're among an exclusive elite-- and those who are powerful have the means to persist in this semi-delusion-- and that this elite encompasses all people who are of any value-- this part is obviously ridiculous. If you ape their values and manners (spin a story; uphold the fiction) these people may let you into their club and you may benefit from their resources; if you upset their story with the truth (that most people of talent are not like them and have different values and backgrounds) they will either reject you or (if you pierce their shield of self-deception) become very angry. The former is more likely, but neither benefits you.
Most people live in a world of fiction and react horribly to having that fiction refuted, which the truth often does. If you're willing to piss them off and have them hate or reject you (which I often am, because it's endlessly amusing to me) tell the truth to them. If you want smooth relationships with them, offer up a story.
One of those fictions is "Society"; many people have a deep desire to believe that they're among an exclusive elite-- and those who are powerful have the means to persist in this semi-delusion-- and that this elite encompasses all people who are of any value-- this part is obviously ridiculous. If you ape their values and manners (spin a story; uphold the fiction) these people may let you into their club and you may benefit from their resources; if you upset their story with the truth (that most people of talent are not like them and have different values and backgrounds) they will either reject you or (if you pierce their shield of self-deception) become very angry. The former is more likely, but neither benefits you.