Dave the Nomad 🇨🇦 
It finally, just now, at 40 years old, occurred to me that some people, sometimes, say things that are untrue because they're trying to protect themselves.
It's not always maligned intentions. Sometimes, for some people, it's a defense mechanism.
Trevor@dave I love seeing adults with autism have these kinds of revelations - makes me very hopeful for the long-term prospects for my autistic kiddo who struggles with these kinds of distinctions and nuances, and doesn't yet understand enough of the variables behind the motivations of other humans to make behaviours fit her rules.
The malign/benign-for-self-defence axis isn't the only one at play here though. Lies, half-truths, and selective disclosure are often defence mechanisms, but they're not always deployed to defend oneself. Plenty of times, they're used selflessly trying to protect someone else.