Not really. If you conduct yourself in a way that makes a lie of half-truth seem implausible, then those lies will never catch on.
There are a great many 'trtuhs' about people out there that are actually complete untruths. But they gain traction because they confirm an exiting belief about a person. Presidents are particularly susceptible to that, especially where the lie adheres to an impression of character.
A person who is forthright and honest in their dealings, and consistently hard working and punctual will find that other people gossiping about them will have little effect. This you can control what others think by being of good character.
I've noticed this - the lie only sticks if it seems plausible. People believe that Al Gore said he invented the internet because he's made several fantastic statements, is self-aggrandizing, and while what he did say about his role in shepherding the internet was not unreasonable, it was just a slight overstatement of his role. So instead of getting the credit that he deserves, he gets laughed at.
But different people will hold you to different and often contradictory standards. It's hard to go through life without pissing anybody off. Work too hard and you make others look bad for example.
Also worth noting that people will subconsciously judge you based on all kinds of superficial factors you have no control over. Have the wrong facial features and people will think you untrustworthy, and of course there's skin colour etc.
Well, you can't control individuals perceptions - everyone brings a bias to the table - but you can control the aggregate perceptions by being consistent. The point being that if you are always trustworthy, that fact eventually gets out, and it then doesn't matter what your face is like.
It is the same as Wikipedia being not necessaarily right on every singe detail, but being correct in aggregate. People should aim to be like Wikipedia - not flawless, but reputationally good.
There are a great many 'trtuhs' about people out there that are actually complete untruths. But they gain traction because they confirm an exiting belief about a person. Presidents are particularly susceptible to that, especially where the lie adheres to an impression of character.
A person who is forthright and honest in their dealings, and consistently hard working and punctual will find that other people gossiping about them will have little effect. This you can control what others think by being of good character.