Juan José Millás on how lies affect the body in “El cuerpo sabe”
Spanish writer Juan José Millás argues that lying is not merely verbal but puts the body in a contradictory state, leaving traces in breathing, skin and internal tension. He describes physical reactions such as hair standing on the arms, an unexpected feeling of cold and a tightening of muscles when a person tells a falsehood.
Millás says the body has its own memory that can expose deception, acting like a subtle under‑current that surfaces in small gestures. He likens a well‑crafted lie to a poem in its architecture, yet sustained like a wet wall that can crack under the slightest disturbance. Even lies told for survival, he notes, can become harmful when they become habitual.
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- [● 3 SOURCES] Lying causes physical sensations such as hair standing on the arms, feeling cold, and internal tension. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.laopinioncoruna.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] The body has its own memory that can reveal when a person is lying. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.laopinioncoruna.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] A well‑constructed lie can be compared to a poem but is sustained like a wet wall. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.laopinioncoruna.es