It seems that whenever lying is being discussed people are quick to come up with justifications for why it’s okay in certain situations, the classic one being that you were served food that you didn’t like but when asked said that you did.
This seems to assume that the other people in fact would have preferred the lie over the truth. So I ask: when do you yourself prefer the lie?
When it’s irrelevant with regards to external reality, has no negative consequences, and it’s done for the sake of my peace of mind/happiness. Lying has a time and a place, it’s just a very very small one.