Listed on my site is the fact that I am wary of all people, especially wary in who I will call a Friend. Why is this? Betrayal by friends has occurred more than once in my life. You think you know someone, but really, all you know is what they allow you to see. This veneer, or facade, is what they want to present to the public. Motives are unknown. Why deceive? The only purpose of deception is to draw someone out to learn what you can about them. After this, what is done with the knowledge determines the morality of the deceiver. If it is used to determine if that person is like minded, for purposes perhaps of future friendship, then the deception is merely defensive, and used because of previous betrayals by past "friends".

If the knowledge is used to attempt to destroy, or for other nefarious purposes, then the deception is aggressive and immoral.

I submit that all people use these deceptions, and that you never truly see a person’s character except as a side product of their actions. Yes, you have to glean a person’s true nature by observing what they actually do, for what they say, is often a sham.