Misleading by "telling the truth" is so pervasive in daily
life that a new term has recently been coined to describe it:
paltering.
It is so widespread
that some are trying to determine insight into the grey area
between truth and lies. We lie all the time, despite the fact
that it costs us considerably more mental effort to lie than to
tell the truth.
Researchers were
looking at how often politicians dodge questions during debates
and soon realized something else was going on. By stating
another truthful fact, they could get out of answering a
question. They could even imply something was truthful when it
was not.
Individuals who had been deceived do not distinguish between
lying and paltering. Although communicators think that when
disclosed, it will be ethical, but listeners still see it as a
lie.
Beware if someone
does not answer a question directly. Be doubly aware if they
state any fact (related or not) rather than answer a
question. A preponderance of politicians palter!