You don't like being lied to, do you? I don't imagine anyone enjoys it. So, why I ask you is deception so prevalent in today's society? I believe part of the reason is people's tendency to twist the truth.
I speak from personal experience. I have always strived to be honest. But, in my younger days, I didn't always behave in a manner that would make my parents proud. When questioned about my activities, I would carefully phrase my answers with half-truths or misleading terms to make the listener believe something other than the truth. My answers were technically correct and contained no lies, so I satisfied my own definition of being honest. I call these types of evasion "Honest Deceptions". Let me give you a few examples:
A large part of this type of evasion relies on the ambiguities of the English language. So many words have multiple definitions, and slang terms are frequently not defined anywhere. I was once asked by a female coworker whether I thought she was a "Women's Libber". I refused to answer her because that phrase has no distinct meaning. After a lengthy debate with several coworkers, we determined that almost everyone had their own widely varying personal description of a "Women's Libber". So, what point was there in answering her question without a common frame of reference?
I've discovered that people seldom remember the exact words spoken. They remember the perception you gave them and resent being misled by your deceptions. The stress of keeping track of which deceptions you used on who causes you to get defensive when your contradictions are noticed. It's so much easier to lead one's life in a way that eliminates any need for deception. By not behaving embarrassingly, one need not hide behind deceptions.
The English language makes it very easy for deceivers to mislead. Politicians, lawyers, and other educated or intelligent individuals can utilize their vast vocabulary to maximize this type of deception.
We have all been taught from an early age to be polite and courteous. Saying "Please" and "Thank You" are straight forward enough. But, what about the little white lies that arise when we try not to hurt someone's feelings? Like the mother who asks everyone for their opinion on how cute her newborn baby is. From the comments, one would think all babies are gorgeous.
Exaggerations are an interesting form of deception. Comedians frequently use exaggeration to be funny. Good humor quite often has a ring of truth to it. It's the outrageous exaggeration that makes it so funny.
While being sized for tuxedoes for my brother's wedding, we were discussing whether to use the brightly colored cummerbunds or the more conservative vests. My wife whispered in my ear that the cummerbunds drew attention to our large waists in an unflattering way. I hollered to my brother on the other side of the room and said "Sharon says we're too fat to wear cummerbunds".
I hope I don't sound like some cynical old man. I don't suspect everyone I talk to of being dishonest. I like being able to trust individuals. I am however on the alert for contradictions. I will start to distrust people when they get defensive and argumentative when I ask for clarification on their apparent contradiction. Remember, the ambiguities of the English language can create the appearance of contradiction where there is none.
Any statement (in any language) is merely one person's attempt to present an idea or thought in terms that can be conveyed to others. The truth or reality of the matter can not be completely represented by a statement any more than a person can be completely represented by a photograph.