Why do Dominicans lie???

[Matilda]

I am well used to Dominicans lying (so do English builders - "I will be back in the morning" ha ha!!!). But in the last week it has happened so often, I would like to know if anyone has managed to stop them lying. In the last week I have had husband "My cell phone is at home" (Translated means "I have lent it to someone"), then "I have lent my cell phone to xyz", translated means "I have lost it yet again". The we have step son number 2 "No I haven't seen your little lap top, but I will look for it soon" which translated means "I sold it to a guy in San Pedro and will now have to try and get it back".

Next stepson number 2 having been sent to boarding baseball school 20 miles away for selling lap top, phones and asks us to take his little stereo to him. Ask gardener if he has seen it "No, stepson 2 has it." Husband says gardener has it but can't tell me???? After chat with husband - he who loses cell phone on monthly basis- gardener says that stepson number 2 has called (b****llocks) and told him where it is and gardener then brought it back the next day.

The husband gives one of my dogs away (supposed to be taking him to vet, but gave him away instead). Went to get him back but new owner said dog was dead (of a broken heart!!!). Showed him body of dog. On my insistence that dog wasn't dead and threats of dire actions if dog didn't come back, husband goes again to get dog. Turns out body was not of dog but of goat (!!!!) and dog was returned to me. I can sniff out these lies now!!!

Its not just limited to Dominicans. Rich foreigners owe money in colmado and always promise to pay "I will bring the money in tomorrow" and never do.

Question, is it something in the air here? Will I start doing it too? I can translate my husbands fibs (he says they are only white lies so I won't get upset!!!!), but am not as good at translating all of the others. And how on earth do I stop them lying?????

Matilda

[Rocky]

For the very same reason kids do.

In short, they are childlike, which has a lot to do with why they are so easy going and happy go lucky, have little awareness of time, responsibility and danger.
We wouldn't love them as much as we do if they weren't that way.
We are attracted to their casual ways with easy smiles, and if they ever became "mature" as people from the industrialized nations do, they would lose that beautiful charm they have.

[rellosk]

Originally Posted by Rocky

For the very same reason kids do.

In short, they are childlike, which has a lot to do with why they are so easy going and happy go lucky, have little awareness of time, responsibility and danger.
We wouldn't love them as much as we do if they weren't that way.
We are attracted to their casual ways with easy smiles, and if they ever became "mature" as people from the industrialized nations do, they would lose that beautiful charm they have.

Excellent post.

[whirleybird]

Originally Posted by Rocky

For the very same reason kids do.

In short, they are childlike, which has a lot to do with why they are so easy going and happy go lucky, have little awareness of time, responsibility and danger.
We wouldn't love them as much as we do if they weren't that way.
We are attracted to their casual ways with easy smiles, and if they ever became "mature" as people from the industrialized nations do, they would lose that beautiful charm they have.

Wow!! that quote should be published worldwide - again Ginnie's "Dominican optimism" springs to mind.

Matilda, you must be like me in that I see no sense or reason in telling lies because usually the truth will come to light anyway. I know I don't have a good enough memory to carry it off anyway... This is one instance where I would definitely recommend that you don't employ the "if you can't beat them, join them" philosophy.

Leopards don't change their spots so.......... don't even try!!

[Chirimoya]

Failure to think strategically, to say the least!

Recently Mr C and I wanted to turn down an invitation to meet up with an acquaintance who is - to put it politely - high maintenance. Mr C's suggestion was 'lets tell him we're not going (to the event he wanted to meet us at)' - not thinking how embarrassing it would be if we did see him there, or how we would spend the whole evening worrying that he would see us - I suppose his Dominican Optimism (TM) led him to assume we wouldn't coincide.

As it happens, we didn't lie to get out of the situation - just said we had already made arrangements with someone else (the truth) and we didn't bump into each other.

Mr C clearly has no concept of 'Sod's Law' either - I know we wouldn't have been so lucky if we had lied.

[Beads]

It is kind of upsetting but it does seem to be related to the culture as being acceptable. Also if the behavior isnt shown to be bad and have bad outcomes once caught it wont ever stop.

Hell if they are too old it might be incurable!

[Janin]

Originally Posted by Beads

.... related to the culture as being acceptable....

If truth is not considered a value and not instilled in children the society will end up in talking nonsense and non-committal
hot air all day long.
And this is what we already have here.

Janin

[dv8]

isn't that kind of funny that if the same post was out under the name oi i lovemipapi everyone would say: your husband is a lying sankie, stepson is a sankie too, run away, canadian fattie.:-)

matilda, no idea. i always prefer to tell the truth, mainly because if i'd lie i would not remember what acatly my lie was. hence it's easier to tell the truth.
i have noticed that some dominicans have surprising memory capacity thou...

[Janin]

Sorry, editting resulted in double post.

Janin

[Celt202]

Originally Posted by Janin

Sorry, editting resulted in double post.

Janin

Liar