Why Men Lie

So you've caught your man lying for the 1000th time this week and you're wishing he'd stop -- or at least get better at it. Because, let's face it, most men suck at lying, which is why women are always complaining about it. At the same time, men seem to lie about really, really stupid things that they needn't bother lying about most of the time -- because we don't actually care.

Men might know this (and other things) if they'd stop lying long enough to find out what happens when they tell the truth. Granted, there are times when women want men to lie; this isn't about whether or not they should do it. This is simply about why they do it. And yes, some of this is tongue-in-cheek. Some of it ain't. I'll let you be the judge of which is which. So here they are, in no particular order: Why Your Man Lies:

1. He's afraid of you.

And can you really blame him? The last time you asked him how you looked in that little black dress (the one you haven't been able to fit into since high school) he said you looked fab. Which is exactly what you wanted him to say. Yet, somehow, he still wound up on the couch for a week because you thought he didn't sound sincere enough when he said it. Just imagine what would have happened if he'd told you how your size 10 bottom really looked in that size 6 dress? I probably would have lied to you, too.

2. He actually thinks he's telling the truth.

Remember when he promised to clean the house while you went grocery shopping? The promise that was meant to save you loads of time as you rushed from work to the store in a mad hurry to get dinner ready before your parents arrived for the dinner you'd be planning for ages? When you called him from the checkout lane and he told you the house was sparkling clean -- he actually believed what he was telling you. He actually thought that taking the trash out and spraying some air freshener would do it. So he's not actually lying; he's just that daft.

3. You let him.

Kidding aside, one of the biggest reasons men lie is because they know women expect them to. They do realize that some women won't tolerate lying, but they also know that many will. He figures that you'll eventually get used to it and simply accept it. And many of you do just that. The fool me once rule applies here -- if you let him get away with this multiple times, shame on you.

4. He's insecure.

If you've got a bloke who tells tall tales, you've got an insecure bloke. If your man lies because he's cheating on you, you've got an insecure man. If you... well... you probably get the idea. Where there's a lie, there is often a very tiny man with big issues.

5. He's a prat.

The simplest reason of them all; some men are simply jerks.