It makes a difference whether I have a doubt about myself, my integrity, or whether I have a doubt about not having up-to-date information. The man who fabricated the scene visibly had no doubt about his moral rectitude, and he also lied (so I checked afterwards) about the accuracy of the current information. I had last accessed the information a few weeks ago, and when he said in a chest-tone of conviction that what he was about to claim was formal, I wavered, as I hadn't updated myself just yesterday. It seems that he did not inform himself at all through the official channel, but formed an opinion, whatever his preference was.

By doing so, he also gave false information to those who were watching us, and in doing so he is conveying an attitude that will, at worst, manifest itself as a model in people's minds.

Had I asked him to prove his statement, he would have refused to do so. Probably he himself did not know the reason for approaching me. He followed an impulse and in my eyes he behaved undignified.