Sometimes the truth can hurt others too much, and a white lie is a much kinder option. Just imagine if you told someone that you really hated the present they had given you - especially if they had spent ages making or choosing it; or that their new hair cut was awful - think of what that might do to their confidence or self-esteem. So yes, little white lies quite a lot of the time. Honesty isn't always the best policy if it would hurt the recipient emotionally. Now if there was a physical risk involved, that would be different.......