There is a pervasive form of lying today that has been normalized.
It is this: using implication (often very obvious, but never stated directly, so as to preserve plausible deniability) to undercut or insult someone, then affecting shocked, wounded indignation when the target calls a person on it.
People do it a lot on social media. Usually women, but men are doing it more today, too. They deliberately insult or imply a character fault that I may have, or they reverse the morality of a situation in order to lower me or make me appear ridiculous to onlookers, then pretend they didn't.
"What's wrong with you? You can't read my mind."
"You sound unwell. I never said that."
"Lol show me where I said that."
They are lying. And then they are lying on a meta level by claiming that they think I'm nuts and that they don't understand what I mean.
I've muted a number of mutuals on Twitter for this in the past few days, and have lost a number of followers who didn't like being seen and understood for what they’re actually doing and saying.
Don't do this. You don't have to "agree" with another person. But you don't get to insult with plausible deniability, then lie, then disclaim your lie.
If you wish to insult, or to chide, do it frankly like a man. Like a grown woman. Not like a 14-year-old-girl. Do it right out in plain sight like I do. If you don’t, I lose respect for you.
No one is "mind reading" you. You are lying because you're not good enough to disguise your double-talk effectively.
Here are some other terms to describe this behavior:
-Covert manipulation
-Feminine indirect warfare
-Cluster B
I’d like to add “passive aggressive” to your list.
A truly ugly, insidious tactic to backhandedly insult, and then deny.
The "feminine" part -- the men I've (in recent years) seen do this have overwhelmingly turned out to be closeted bisexuals, which (as I think through this) might make them "the exception that proves the rule". (I'm still thinking through this.)