To lie, or not to lie–that is the question

Dan Elkan is a Londoner and the founder of train-based ski-tour operator Snowcarbon (www. snowcarbon.co.uk)

Do you think it’s inevitable that you’re going to lie in the course of an average day? ‘It’s not inevitable—it’s a possibility. I love the mantra “always tell the truth, because then you don’t have to remember anything”. I lie every time I get a cold call about a “recent road accident” I’ve had. I make up a story about a fictitious accident, then let them know it’s about as much rubbish as their business model.’

Do you think men lie more than women, on the whole? ‘I think men prefer a quiet life. It’s like they’re telling the truth about the future reality: “Sure, I’ve done that” (I’d better remember to do it tomorrow before she checks).’

What’s the worst trouble you’ve ever been in due to telling a lie? ‘I haven’t got into huge trouble, because I’ve managed to get away with things, but the older I get, the more honest I get. You become more confident about speaking your truth and more diplomatic about saying it. I lied more as a teenager. For a whole year, I told my mum that I was going to the library to study every Saturday, but I was actually going to watch Spurs. I managed to do well in my exams, so I got away with it.’

Is honesty always the best policy?

‘Almost always—even white lies will come and bite you in the end. If you’re lying in order not to offend people, you aren’t really helping them. If you lie to avoid a problem, you just push the problem further down the line and it grows, like a monster in a cupboard waiting to jump out on you at the wrong moment.’