The truth spectrum

First you always told the truth, you didn’t know any different.

Then you learnt to lie and all of a sudden whole new vistas of opportunities for secretly eating chocolate and getting away with it open up in front of you.

But then the consequences for lying arrive and so do the scoldings for being dishonest and they hurt.

Then time passes and you learn morales and that you don’t want to be a person who lies.

You want to always tell the truth.

Then a shade of grey shows itself between the black and the white.

Can you give an honest answer without hurting feelings?

Then another shade of grey presents itself.

This one has a tinge of compassion.

Would it be fairer to the individual to not share what they said in the heat of the moment?

You want to be truthful but instinct says the context is important and maybe a momentary uncharacteristic slip should be overlooked?

Feigning amnesia isn’t lying is it? Not if it’s a one off right?