Laughing to lie is where, instead of being confrontational when you should be, you tell the harsh truth but laugh like you’re joking. The person you’re speaking to doesn’t realize that what you’re saying is serious because you’re laughing as you say it. That way, you’re tricking yourself into thinking you’re telling the truth without actually communicating it.
I notice this more at work than anywhere. I tried to write out some examples, but I haven’t been able to communicate them by writing them out. You might imagine a boss asking why a project is taking so long, for instance, but instead of asking directly, she asks and makes it seem like she’s kidding. In reality, it’s a big deal, but she doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
The idea, though, is that it’s turning the truth into a lie by misrepresenting it with a laugh. Laughing to lie. It’s destructive like any other lie.
I don’t know what more I want to say about it, just noticing it.
