Heading home now. I missed work. Was a fairly easy day back.
And while this pic is uninteresting, maybe this question isn't...
If you had to have a reputation as one or the other (not saying that you would actually be one or the other), would you rather be known as an asshole or a liar?
My answer? Asshole. The shortened reason to this answer: Imagine how hard it would be to do things in life when people think you're a liar and that every single word out of your mouth is a complete and utter lie... Couldn't get a job maybe or be trusted in a relationship or to do anything. Being a liar might make someone an asshole of sorts. BUT if you're known as an asshole, doesn't mean that people assume you're a liar. Perhaps just unkind. And, hey, I think I could sometimes live with that... I've been mistaken for unkind before. Been called an asshole before too. No biggie. I can deal with that. I hate being called a liar when I'm not.
Love the vibe and atmosphere in this shot. The title could easily read, "125th Street. Sometime around 1941"
I follow the logic in your moral conundrum and would agree with it. For me the only caveat would be - don't take being an asshole as licence to go around acting like an asshole.
@zakelius ahh love your point! Acting like an asshole just for the hell of it is no good either. Also I felt this pic needed to be in black and white to give it an "old" feel. In color, the pic was just piss poor...still kinda is lol. But it's all I got for today :)
Has that film noir feeling. Often a very good lair ie. con man or woman is never detected. The great imposter for example...so hmmm ! A really good lair can even fool themselves into believing! So would choose a really great and charming lair who made everyone believe!
@tosee Hmm very true. You may be familiar with this bit of knowledge, so apologies of sounding like a "know it all" But in my line of work (mental health) there is a term that is applicable for those who are often charming liars with no disregard for how they con others...and that is antisocial personality disorder, often with a hint of narcissism. Antisocial Personality Disorder is different than being antisocial (in terms of what the general public associate with the word antisocial, i.e., not wanting to engage with others, socially awkward, etc.) Antisocial Personality Disorder is not like that. Some - not all - with these traits can be quite charming mutha f*ckers. Think Frank Abagnale from that movie "Catch Me if You Can." He was charming yet a liar. However, there are some people within the same antisocial personality disorder spectrum who are very dangerous...liars and sociopaths. I work with a severely mentally ill population...some are VERY dangerous liars who have done hard prison time. But they can be charming as all hell. I'd rather deal with the asshole instead, in my humble opinion.
@tosee But I suppose I took the subject in a totally different direction lol. Sorry. I *did* ask which one you would rather have a reputation as...not with whom one would rather encounter. And if liars can be charming and smooth, I can see where the appeal might be in having a reputation as one. And not all liars are serial killers...
Re reading your question and responses, I see I did not answer the question, "known as" in that case I guess I would still go with lair since I have known liars and assholes, and the assholes I have known really are mean spirited and deeply flawed. Some of the liars, "story tellers"
seemed unable to stop spinning yarns and lies but were nice gentle souls. So I pick a nice gentle soul liar. I too have encountered the sociopaths and even psychopaths when I had a group home for adjudicated teenage males.
@tosee I couldn't work with a teenage population...give you credit for that. I find that population very difficult. Additionally, I don't prefer working with or being around kids or children of any age really. You do make some interesting points about those "gentle" liars.
Like the grittyness of this.
I'd rather be an asshole. I'm too much of a nice guy most of the time, and I I think there can be a bit of a benefit to being an asshole. But not the kind of asshole who is narcissistic on their approach, but the kind who is willing to call people out on their BS, and push them to be better, and give more than what they think they are capable of doing.
@baznman Agree with you. I think people sometimes mistake "tough love" or honesty or just "calling a spade a spade" as assholery. Yeah I just made up that word. Either way, both options are not ideal. But lying has never gotten me far in life when I have done it...has always caught up to me somehow and really affected others in ways I didn't imagine. Being an asshole has too, to be honest, but not in the same way -- and in those scenarios the person I hurt most was most likely myself.
I follow the logic in your moral conundrum and would agree with it. For me the only caveat would be - don't take being an asshole as licence to go around acting like an asshole.
seemed unable to stop spinning yarns and lies but were nice gentle souls. So I pick a nice gentle soul liar. I too have encountered the sociopaths and even psychopaths when I had a group home for adjudicated teenage males.
I'd rather be an asshole. I'm too much of a nice guy most of the time, and I I think there can be a bit of a benefit to being an asshole. But not the kind of asshole who is narcissistic on their approach, but the kind who is willing to call people out on their BS, and push them to be better, and give more than what they think they are capable of doing.