Under what circumstances do you lie? This book shows how our tendencies to lie can be influenced by the culture we live in. Kyoko Mori describes situations in her home country of Japan, where it’s more important to be polite than honest, especially with people who have authority over you. After moving to the Midwest, she observes that we have a different way of lying. For example, we’ll say, “He’s a nice person, but…” and then describe how awful he is. Or, instead of declining an invitation, we’ll say, “I’ll think about it,” or “I wish I could be there.”
Mori, Kyoko. Polite Lies: On Being a Woman Caught Between Cultures. Fawcett Books, 1997, p. 211.