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CHEAP TALK
Hedges, Omissions, and Just Plain Lies

“If you had the real thing, how would you tell? Liars can say it all just as well. Every single word you’ve heard in vain … one hundred love letters and none of them true.”

—“Christina” by Patty Griffin

“This is like writing a résumé and trying to be honest … but not TOO honest :) … ”

—A woman’s “self-summary” on OkCupid

When I set up my profile on Match.com, I tried to tell the truth, and I mostly succeeded. For example, I was up-front about my teenage children and my sweet but impish golden retriever. But I left out the YouTube videos my children introduced me to under “Things I Find Entertaining,” and checked the “Never” box when asked how often I smoke, despite the fact that I have ...

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