Self-deception is when you make yourself believe that something is true when it is not. Nobody else has to lie to you; you do the lying, and often you do not stand in front of a mirror and announce it. You might tell yourself the exam will be easy, the job is fine, or the friend did not mean it, when the facts on the table say otherwise.

Self-deception self-deception（自我欺騙） is when you make yourself believe是指你讓自己相信 that something is true when it is not某件事是真的，但其實不是。Nobody else has to lie to you不需要別人騙你； you do the lying是你自己在騙自己， and often you do not stand in front of a mirror and announce it而且通常你不會站在鏡子前面大聲宣布這件事。You might tell yourself你可能會告訴自己 the exam will be easy, the job is fine, or the friend did not mean it考試會很簡單、這份工作沒問題、或朋友不是那個意思， when the facts on the table say otherwise儘管擺在眼前的事實根本不是這樣。

It is a fairly formal, slightly psychological word — novels, advice, and serious talk use it; children rarely say it.

It is a fairly formal, slightly psychological word這是個滿正式、帶點心理學味道的字— novels, advice, and serious talk use it小說、勸告文章、正經的談話裡會用； children rarely say it小孩很少這樣講。

Though actually, it is not always a big dark plot. Small self-deception happens all the time: “I’ll start tomorrow,” “one more will not matter.” The point is not that you are stupid. The point is that the softer story hurts less right now, so part of you protects it.

Though actually不過事實上， it is not always a big dark plot它不一定是什麼陰暗的大陰謀。Small self-deception happens all the time小小的自我欺騙每天都在發生： “I’ll start tomorrow,” “one more will not matter.”像「我明天再開始」、「再一個應該沒差」。The point is not that you are stupid重點不是你很笨。The point is重點是 that the softer story hurts less right now那個比較好聽的版本現在比較不痛， so part of you protects it所以你心裡有一部分在保護那個版本。

People also say deceive yourself or live in denial for nearby ideas. The picture to hold: the liar and the listener are the same person.

People also say人們也會說 deceive yourself or live in denial deceive yourself（欺騙自己）或live in denial（活在否認裡） for nearby ideas來講類似的概念。The picture to hold要記住的畫面是： the liar and the listener are the same person說謊的人和聽謊的人是同一個人。