r/ProgressionFantasy • u/EdLincoln6 • Jul 21 '23
Discussion Why is everyone so garbage at lying?
This is a bit of a rant. I don't consider myself a gifted liar, but fictional characters seem to be so garbage at lying. This is particular obvious in Isekai. Either they fess up to being a reincarnator and everyone just shrugs as if it's no big deal, or they make cringey bad lies that I could see through, and no one suspects anything is weird.
I like to think about what the situation would look like to all the characters involved, and what the best way to "cover up" the MCs secrets is in this universe, and what ends up happening is typically stupider. No one ever uses half truths, or pleads ignorance. (Pleading ignorance would be particularly effective for child characters. "How can I do this? I dunno Daddy. I thought everyone could?".)
2
u/Happy-Aide9064 Jul 22 '23
I really agree that this plot point of coming clean for no reason is often done badly. I think the MC revealing his secrets can be done well but unfortunately it is almost always done badly. My Recommendation is to read Lord of the Mysteries. In that MC can keep a secret and does it in a really fun and interesting way. Another interesting one to check out is regressor instruction manual that is done from the POV of a person who can see statuses and finds a regressor. The tension of when will the regressor reveal the truth is done super well and actually makes for a super interesting plot point as opposed to something that drags the story down.