That's one of the differences between psychopaths and non-psychopaths... To psychopaths, lying is often the best course of action. For example, if one wants to weasel ones way out of an unfortunate predicament, such as having ones fidelity questioned, one could easily just lie. It's not that we're too weak to tell the truth or that we're afraid to face the shame and guilt. We will say whatever will benefit us the most, truth or lies. In that respect, psychopaths lie even when we're telling the truth, because even the truth serves the same purpose as the lie: to deceive and manipulate.

I get no satisfaction from being honest... truly honest, not my deceptive version of honest...

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When I asked in my previous post about getting caught and having to face consequences, I wasn't referring to day-to-day stuff or even complicated stuff. I was referring to an end of the road situation where there's no way out - i.e., solitary confinement in a small empty room for the rest of your life with no hope for escape - just you and your ego from here on out. What would make you giggle? What would give your life meaning? If your past giggles brought you to that place of no escape, you would really be able to reflect on them and say it was worth your while? Would you feel pride in the mark you left on this world? Would your ego be able to survive?

I don't think any of my cute little antics will ever put me in that position, not in this country, anyway... Not even mass homicide would. If, hypothetically, the consequence of lying would be a life sentence in solitary confinement and the odds of getting caught were very high, then, yes, my disobedience would most definitely have been worthwhile. Fortunately, that is not the case...

But, should some oppressive tyrant come along and command such punishment to any who oppose him or her, I'd gladly stoop to my evil and manipulative ways in an attempt to defeat said oppressor and free my humble people of his or her tyranny, regardless of any punishment which I may receive or how likely it is that I be caught for my disobedience. And, should I be caught for my crimes against the oppressor and be damned to suffer the rest of my miserable existence in a dank cell with naught but my thoughts and mutters to keep me company, I'd look back on my deeds and only regret having been caught, not because of principle or the desire to free my fellow man from the aforementioned tyranny, but because there's no way I could live under so many rules, laws, and oppression that's commanded by someone I hate with every fiber of my being and not be so tempted, absolutely thrilled, by the mere notion of annihilating my oppressors, standing high above their cities, leaders, and mindless puppets as I watch their heinous creation be swallowed by a towering inferno. No... acquiescing to tyranny for fear of persecution is not any decent way to live... In fact, in my humble opinion, that's more a prison than the dank cell...

Ehem... The point is... Yes, it's worthwhile... Even if there is no tyrant to throw me in prison for lying, this manipulative and aggressive behavior is just a part of who I am. I can and do suppress it enough not to hurt anyone, especially those close to me, and I channel it into more productive things. But I can't keep it all under lock and key all the time. I'd be incredibly miserable if I tried, and I'd most definitely fail.

Winning by means of outwitting or duping someone makes me giggle. I don't know what would give my life meaning, not in the profound "meaning of life" sense... Probably nothing...

I think my ego could survive most anything...