Vulgoque vertas iam attributa vino est.
(Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 14.141)

And the truth is commonly attributed to wine.

Comment: I have come to see (for myself) that when human beings lie, there is
really only one cause (apart from mental illness which makes the lying a
symptom). That cause is fear of being hurt.

Don't take my word for it. See if you can think of a single instance of lying
where, at the root, the fear of being hurt for telling the truth is not
present. When this occurred to me a few years ago, it really rumbled through
my little world of ethics. Liars, so called, are then on some level trying to
protect themselves. And, it turns one's attention to the cause of the threat
and what might be done to alleviate the threat that has forced the liar, so
called, into this self-defensive posture.

Wine, of course, like any form of alcohol, temporarily eases the anxieties that
we feel, and loosens the tongue, among other things.

There is a healthier method of creating truthful environments than hauling
everyone down to the pub for drinks, and that is to cultivate trust. The real
issue with truth telling and lying is trust. We will be honest to someone whom
we trust. We will lie to one we believe is going to hurt us with the truth.


Bob Patrick
(Used with permission)
Latin Proverb of the Day is now available on the web.