--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We lie by not telling you things...We…" description: "\"We lie by not telling you things...We don't lie by telling you things that aren't true.\" — Oliver North" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/oliver-north-9452_don-t-lie_we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don_3064894.jpg" --- # We lie by not telling you things...We don't lie by telling… ![“We lie by not telling you things...We don't lie by telling you things that aren't true.” quote by Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/oliver-north-9452_don-t-lie_we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don_3064894.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/oliver-north-9452_don-t-lie_we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don_3064894.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/oliver-north-9452_don-t-lie_we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don_3064894.jpg) > “We lie by not telling you things...We don't lie by telling you things that aren't true.” [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding deception by omission can be as misleading as outright falsehoods. **In simple terms:** Silence can lie too. Key Takeaway Be transparent, not just truthful. Themes honesty communication ethics Mood reflective cautious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - personal relationships - media reporting Key Concepts truthfulness information theory Questions to Reflect On - When does omission become deceit? - Is honesty always the best policy? A Different Perspective Silence may be necessary for privacy or security. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Where I'm from, we believe in all sorts of things that aren't true... we call it history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/where-i-m-from-we-believe-in-all-sorts-of-things-that-aren-t-true-we/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [I don't like things that aren't true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-don-t-like-things-that-aren-t-true/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [You need to believe in things that aren't true. How else can they become?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-need-to-believe-in-things-that-aren-t-true-how-else-can-they/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“All we are doing is telling each other things that can only be told by the rubbing together of two imperfect lumps of flesh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-we-are-doing-is-telling-each-other-things-that-can-only-be-told/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It will happen soon. Someday you will find yourself surrounded by people with the exact same interests as you, and you will never feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-meno/it-will-happen-soon-someday-you-will-find-yourself-surrounded-by/) [Joe Meno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-meno/) > [But then if you lied to a man about his talent just because he was sitting across from you, that was the most unforgivable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/but-then-if-you-lied-to-a-man-about-his-talent-just-because-he-was/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [The biggest lie is the idea that we are entitled to a meaningful and coherent summarizing, a conclusion, of something which never concludes. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-milch/the-biggest-lie-is-the-idea-that-we-are-entitled-to-a-meaningful-and/) [David Milch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-milch/) > [I prefer an ugly truth to a pretty lie. If someone is telling me the truth that is when I will give my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/i-prefer-an-ugly-truth-to-a-pretty-lie-if-someone-is-telling-me-the/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Realtionship are good sometimes there bad! If you dont like them tell them the way you fell about them dont lie! Telling the ruch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/makya-matthews/realtionship-are-good-sometimes-there-bad-if-you-dont-like-them-tell/) Makya Matthews > [“If someone tells you a lie, they're not telling you the truth, but they are telling you something. It just takes longer to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-livesey/if-someone-tells-you-a-lie-they-re-not-telling-you-the-truth-but-they/) [Margot Livesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-livesey/) > [“I can't stand lies. Probably no one can. Probably everyone is, to varying degrees, allergic to them, both spiritually and physically. Lies make me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/i-can-t-stand-lies-probably-no-one-can-probably-everyone-is-to/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [We find it easy to believe that praise is sincere: why should anyone lie in telling us the truth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-is-sincere-why-should-anyone/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [I have a friend who is an excellent liar. His secret: Believe the lie yourself when you're telling it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-heffron/i-have-a-friend-who-is-an-excellent-liar-his-secret-believe-the-lie/) [Jack Heffron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-heffron/) > [“There's always more to it. This is what history consists of. It is the sum total of the things they aren't telling us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-s-always-more-to-it-this-is-what-history-consists-of-it-is-the/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Ach, people are always telling us not to do things" said Rob Anybody, "that's how we ken the most interesting things to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/ach-people-are-always-telling-us-not-to-do-things-said-rob-anybody/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Oliver North > [“Frenchie spoke: 'Captain, you should have seen my lieutenant. He was magnificent.' It wasn't the word magnificent that meant so much. It was what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/frenchie-spoke-captain-you-should-have-seen-my-lieutenant-he-was/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [History and war are cruel pedants. Those who know too little of the former are likely to have too much of the latter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/history-and-war-are-cruel-pedants-those-who-know-too-little-of-the/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [Heroes aren't athletes who set new sports records, or Hollywood actors who make 'daring' films or politicians who make bold promises. Heroes are people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/heroes-aren-t-athletes-who-set-new-sports-records-or-hollywood-actors/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [Bill Clinton is not my commander-in-chief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/bill-clinton-is-not-my-commander-in-chief/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [I came here to tell you the truth, the good, the bad and the ugly. Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/i-came-here-to-tell-you-the-truth-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-ugly/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [I thought using the Ayatollah's money to support the Nicaraguan resistance was a neat idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/i-thought-using-the-ayatollah-s-money-to-support-the-nicaraguan/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [And of course there is so much of World War II that is documented that we never have seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/and-of-course-there-is-so-much-of-world-war-ii-that-is-documented/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [If you could have imagined that someone is happy that Obama is president, it has to be Jimmy Carter because he is no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/if-you-could-have-imagined-that-someone-is-happy-that-obama-is/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“The objective was simple: capture or kill the brutal leader of a kidnapping ring with ties to the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/the-objective-was-simple-capture-or-kill-the-brutal-leader-of-a/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [In uniform, I had to make judgments about the best course of action in combat when the only choices were 'bad' or 'worse.' As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/in-uniform-i-had-to-make-judgments-about-the-best-course-of-action-in/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“Heros aren't defined by the way they die but how they live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/heros-aren-t-defined-by-the-way-they-die-but-how-they-live/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [The Obama administration has turned a blind eye to radical Islam since before they came to office. If you look at everything that's transpired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/the-obama-administration-has-turned-a-blind-eye-to-radical-islam/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [I think as a rifle platoon and company commander your view is about 1,000 meters in front of you and you hope you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/i-think-as-a-rifle-platoon-and-company-commander-your-view-is-about-1/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“we shall acquit ourselves with honor, that we may never bring shame upon our faith, our families, or our fellow men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/we-shall-acquit-ourselves-with-honor-that-we-may-never-bring-shame/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“Whoever has the sword will have the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/whoever-has-the-sword-will-have-the-earth/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) [Explore all 72 Oliver North quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) ## More Don-t-lie quotes > [Don't lie to the girl of your life for the hoe of the night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/don-t-lie-to-the-girl-of-your-life-for-the-hoe-of-the-night/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I believe that the greatest truths of the universe don't lie outside, in the study of the stars and the planets. They lie deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/i-believe-that-the-greatest-truths-of-the-universe-don-t-lie-outside/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [Tell her we don’t bite.” “I don’t lie to my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/tell-her-we-don-t-bite-i-don-t-lie-to-my-friends/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [Fans don't lie. They just tell you what they really think, and they see details that even people in fashion don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-formichetti/fans-don-t-lie-they-just-tell-you-what-they-really-think-and-they-see/) [Nicola Formichetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-formichetti/) > [When everyone in America knows you're in a dreadful position, admit you're in a dreadful position. Don't lie about it and make them roll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-noonan/when-everyone-in-america-knows-you-re-in-a-dreadful-position-admit/) [Peggy Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-noonan/) > [I can take any truth; just don't lie to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-streisand/i-can-take-any-truth-just-don-t-lie-to-me/) [Barbra Streisand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-streisand/) > [You say how you feel, and songs don't lie. Songs are the most honest form of human expression there is--there's nothing that lies about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/you-say-how-you-feel-and-songs-don-t-lie-songs-are-the-most-honest/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [One of the principles of journalism is you don't lie. You never lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/one-of-the-principles-of-journalism-is-you-don-t-lie-you-never-lie/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [As a novelist, I'm incredibly lucky to make a living, but that doesn't mean that I don't lie awake at four o'clock in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/as-a-novelist-i-m-incredibly-lucky-to-make-a-living-but-that-doesn-t/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I don't lie to you," Alan said. "I lie WITH you." Sin stopped looking up at him from under her eyelashes and burst out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-don-t-lie-to-you-alan-said-i-lie-with-you-sin-stopped-looking-up-at/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Don't lie,Tell one lie,then you gotta tell another lie to compound on the first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meyer-lansky/don-t-lie-tell-one-lie-then-you-gotta-tell-another-lie-to-compound-on/) [Meyer Lansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meyer-lansky/) > [I think, for some children, your skills don't lie in written words. A lot of school is based around written words and how good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-richards/i-think-for-some-children-your-skills-don-t-lie-in-written-words-a/) [Erin Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-richards/) > [“Maintain your integrity! Live life in such a way that when another person tells his or her truth, you'll not be committed for blame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/maintain-your-integrity-live-life-in-such-a-way-that-when-another/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you're going to say to all the people that you're working with, 'We want you to treat the customers honestly; don't lie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-sinegal/if-you-re-going-to-say-to-all-the-people-that-you-re-working-with-we/) [James Sinegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-sinegal/) > [Clean plates don't lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/clean-plates-don-t-lie/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) Browse all 94 Don-t-lie quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We lie by not telling you things...We don't lie by telling you things that aren't true.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oliver North" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don-t-lie-by-telling-you-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Don-t-lie" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don-t-lie-by-telling-you-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/oliver-north-9452_don-t-lie_we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don_3064894.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/oliver-north-9452_don-t-lie_we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don_3064894.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/oliver-north-9452_don-t-lie_we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don_3064894.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We lie by not telling you things...We don't lie by telling you things that aren't true.” — Oliver North", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Oliver North", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We lie by not telling you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don-t-lie-by-telling-you-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don-t-lie-by-telling-you-things/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```