Monday, February 27, 2012

"Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive."

"Oh what a tangled web we weave 

when first we practice to deceive."


What does it all mean?

Answer:The quote is, surprisingly, not from Shakespeare but from Sir Walter Scott , in Canto VI, Stanza 17 of "Marmion" (1808) an epic poem about the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513.

The meaning is, basically, that lies beget more lies, and that masking lies with more lies 
creates an ever-more-complex arrangement of falsehoods.
ANSWER
Deception is a false reality imposed on a true reality. It is a fragile and complex weaving of truth, half-truths, lies, and lies of omission. To successfully deceive another (or several people), one must be skilled in the art of deception. To create a deception worthy of belief, one must be able to create plausible details that help create the illusion of truth. It is the details that people listen to and remember, and the one deceiving is obligated to remember these detail in order to avoid having the lie exposed. The problem with remembering the lies we tell is that all people are basically good and we tend to forget the bad things we've done. In order to successfully perpetuate deception, the liar must be willing to live that lie when necessary. This becomes the tangled web we weave, especially when first we practice to deceive. 

ANSWER
It means if you tell lies you'd better have a really good memory or you'll end up in a tangle of lies, half-truths and truths. Habitual liars can frequently be easily recognised because they like to keep various groups of friends and acquaintances separate, for fear they'll exchange notes, thus causing the web to unravel. It's amusing to watch a confirmed liar finding themself at a function where, say, workmates and friends are present together. They fidget and glance nervously at the various groups...who'd probably never wonder about the tales except for the liar's nervous behaviour.

ANSWER
An additional meaning may be that a web is what is woven by a spider, and its function is to trap flies with its stickiness; the more they wriggle to get away, the more they entangle themselves in it. Scott is warning us that the liar spins and weaves his own trap for himself, not realising he has done so until he's caught in it.

Answer:

It means that we make things difficult and complicated for ourselves when we deceive others. Lies cost a lot to maintain, the truth is free.


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