Has your wife or girlfriend asked you the question, “Does this dress make me look fat?” Well, as a single guy at age 36 (this alone should warn you not to listen to the following), I have some advice for you.I was recently listening to a radio host discussing the issue of whether or not it’s right to lie in some situations, and the fat-making dress question came up. The host staunchly affirmed that men should “lie” to their wives and tell them “no.” Being an analytical sort of dork, I actually began to ponder the nature of the question. What is actually being asked? Is a “no” response necessarily a lie?
Consider the question again. She asks, “Does this dress make me look fat?” Now, one of two things is the case: either 1) she does NOT appear to you fatly or 2) she does appear to you fatly.
If she does NOT appear to you fatly, then there is no danger. You can just say “no” and you may sleep well that night. However, if she does appear to you fatly, then there’s a dilemma. This should not cause you to worry. You can still say “no” and not lie. She’s asking you if the dress "MAKES" her look fat. If she’s actually fat, then this is a false cause fallacy. It’s not the dress making her look fat, but her own body. She has an a priori assumption that she’s not fat, but thinks that the dress might be “making” her look fat. You may tell her “no” because you know that it’s not the dress making her look fat. You are not lying. She’s just not asking a carefully worded question.
If your plump wife or girlfriend words it differently and asks “Do I look fat in this dress?,” then you can just answer a different question (the other poorly worded question above) and respond by saying, “That dress doesn’t make you look fat.” You have avoided answering her specific question (my single roommate pointed out this tactic to me), but she won’t know that. You have 
successfully avoided lying again and you may sleep well that night, so long as you didn't steal any of her twinkies.
successfully avoided lying again and you may sleep well that night, so long as you didn't steal any of her twinkies.Either way, as a single guy, I know I will definitely sleep well tonight :-) Oh, and I will also wake up any time that I please!
4 comments:
Well, this subject concerns me all the time
I'm not fat but I always wonder if a dress or anything else makes me fat
My brother tells me that I am 40 kgs how could I look fat and I'm telling him if it makes me look 45kgs
But your answers to this question are right
That's the way you have to response
Very nice phtos
Hi Afou,
As you know, this post is mostly a humorous way of looking at it. I have had girlfriends but none of them ever asked me if they looked fat in an article of clothing. They probably just knew that I would grin at them and think of jokes to say. Or, if I thought the person was attractive to me, I would probably say "Who cares? You look nice to me. If you don't feel comfortable in that dress, then try another one."
Since you haven't commented on my blog, I went and browsed yours briefly. I laughed when I saw this comment:
"Or we could go in a very nice restaurant to eat like pigs. Perfect!!!! I would be soooo charming and irresistible with the sauce all over my mouth."
hahaha
Hi James,
I thought this comment was funny, looking at it as a single guy:
"But, as a married man who has tried all permutations of lies and truth in this situation, let me tell you it does not matter what you say."
You also said:
"Your blog interests me, I don't pretend to understand all the Christian stuff you talk about but I will look in again."
I am glad to hear you find my blog interesting. I may use some technical jargon in some of my posts, but feel free to ask about anything in them. You may have read about my theological background and learned that I wasn't converted to Christianity until I was 20 years old (in 1990). Prior to that, I knew almost nothing about theology or Christianity. So, don't be too shy to ask any questions :-)
God bless,
Tony
I am not 40 kgs it was my brother's exaggeration, but it is different being fat than looking fatter.
Sometimes girls have insecurities
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