--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What [my father] didn’t say, but what was…" description: "\"“What [my father] didn’t say, but what was understood, was that he needed me to lie for him from then on, and lie like a professional. I had license to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/745/scott-c-johnson-68627_fabricate_what-my-father-didn-t-say-but-what-was-u_281295.jpg" --- # What \[my father\] didn’t say, but what was understood, was… ![“What [my father] didn’t say, but what was understood, was that he needed me to lie for him from then on, and lie like a professional. I had license to dissimulate, fabricate, invent, cover-up, and deceive if necessary. There was a greater good.” quote by Scott C. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/745/scott-c-johnson-68627_fabricate_what-my-father-didn-t-say-but-what-was-u_281295.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/745/scott-c-johnson-68627_fabricate_what-my-father-didn-t-say-but-what-was-u_281295.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/745/scott-c-johnson-68627_fabricate_what-my-father-didn-t-say-but-what-was-u_281295.jpg) > ““What \[my father\] didn’t say, but what was understood, was that he needed me to lie for him from then on, and lie like a professional. I had license to dissimulate, fabricate, invent, cover-up, and deceive if necessary. There was a greater good.”” Scott C. Johnson ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes being tasked to lie for a higher purpose, raising moral ambiguity about deception for perceived greater good. **In simple terms:** He was asked to lie for a cause. Key Takeaway Question the ethics of lying for a cause. Themes ethics deception loyalty Mood conflicted serious Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - political activism - journalism - personal relationships - legal defense Key Concepts moral relativism trust integrity Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever justified to lie for a greater good? - What are the long‑term costs of such deception? A Different Perspective Deception can erode trust and personal integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Greater good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater-good/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [Lying became part of my life. 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