Roughly translates to "your promised reward is merely a fictitious motivator". Popularized by the game "Portal" (found on Half-Life 2's "Orange Box" game release for PC, X-Box 360, and PS3). During the game, an electronic voice encourages you to solve intricate puzzles using cake as a motivating perk. When you have "broken out" of the game's initial testing phase (from threat of death), you find scrawls on walls of the innards of the testing center warning you that "the cake is a lie".
Employee #1: Yo, Dave, manager says we will probably get a promotion if we meet the sales expectations for this quarter.
Employee #2: Yeah, so, don't get your hopes up on that one, Ed. The cake is a lie.
Employee #1: Really, aw crap.
Employee #2: Yeah, so, don't get your hopes up on that one, Ed. The cake is a lie.
Employee #1: Really, aw crap.
by Mike Grant October 15, 2007
expression used when something great has been promised from a third party but it ultimately is not so.
(six months prior to Vista release) "Vista will be the greatest operating system ever!"
(three months after Vista release) "The cake is a lie."
(three months after Vista release) "The cake is a lie."
by Gurban October 17, 2007
The Cake is a lie: To have a Cake you need time and money. Therefore: money + time = Cake
According to smart people, time is money.
Therefore: 2time = Cake
According to other smart people, time goes on forever.
This indicating: time = infinity
Therefore: 2infinity = Cake
Because no person has achieved infinity, let alone 2infinity. The Cake is not possible.
The Cake is a lie!
According to smart people, time is money.
Therefore: 2time = Cake
According to other smart people, time goes on forever.
This indicating: time = infinity
Therefore: 2infinity = Cake
Because no person has achieved infinity, let alone 2infinity. The Cake is not possible.
The Cake is a lie!
by WhispOfDeath April 14, 2010
An experience embodying thoughts and emotions that occurs in the moment, but is followed by a humbling experience.
The written language is the most powerful form of language.
The cake is a lie.
The embodiment of cake is not in the cake itself. Cake is delicious, but not satisfying without the experience that usually accompanies cake. When you have cake, it is not the cake that creates the most magnificent of experiences, but it is the emotions attached to it. Celebration with friends, the social interaction usually surrounding a joyous occasion. Without this interaction between the cake and the world, the cake would just be any other pastry. However, cake can be enjoyed by some but not by others in any social interaction. Each perspective is unique to each individual.
The cake is a lie.
A cake alone can be enjoyed, but not in the sense that cake should be.
As I walked down the coast, walking her hand in mine, my heart was filled, my mind content, and in that moment I was happy.
As I walked away from her, alone to my car, I knew the emotions experienced by being with her were untrue. Her thoughts and feelings were not mine.
The cake was delicious, the experience wonderful, but in the end, it was still just cake.
The cake is a lie.
The embodiment of cake is not in the cake itself. Cake is delicious, but not satisfying without the experience that usually accompanies cake. When you have cake, it is not the cake that creates the most magnificent of experiences, but it is the emotions attached to it. Celebration with friends, the social interaction usually surrounding a joyous occasion. Without this interaction between the cake and the world, the cake would just be any other pastry. However, cake can be enjoyed by some but not by others in any social interaction. Each perspective is unique to each individual.
The cake is a lie.
A cake alone can be enjoyed, but not in the sense that cake should be.
As I walked down the coast, walking her hand in mine, my heart was filled, my mind content, and in that moment I was happy.
As I walked away from her, alone to my car, I knew the emotions experienced by being with her were untrue. Her thoughts and feelings were not mine.
The cake was delicious, the experience wonderful, but in the end, it was still just cake.
by perspectiveiskey April 30, 2010
Hugo: So I said, 'Hey, let's turn on the lights..'
Hugo: Then she said, 'Oh silly, you can have the garage okay. The porche is still in the shop..'
Jerry Springer: So you slept with a guy?
Hugo: I ain't gonna lie Jerry.. The cake is a lie. * He's then punched in the nose and the transsexual yells, 'Oh no you d-ent' and someones wig falls off in the tussel, Jerry picks up the hair and makes a mustache with it
Jerry Springer: *Walks off stage and plays pocket pool* We'll be back!
Hugo: Then she said, 'Oh silly, you can have the garage okay. The porche is still in the shop..'
Jerry Springer: So you slept with a guy?
Hugo: I ain't gonna lie Jerry.. The cake is a lie. * He's then punched in the nose and the transsexual yells, 'Oh no you d-ent' and someones wig falls off in the tussel, Jerry picks up the hair and makes a mustache with it
Jerry Springer: *Walks off stage and plays pocket pool* We'll be back!
by Leeping Larry July 17, 2011
The phrase the cake is a lie had it's origins on one of the *chans. It started in the lolicon image board also called "/cake/" or "Delicious Cake" (Lolicon being drawn pornography depicting small children doing sexual favors.) On certain chans (Which will go unnamed) the /cake/ board shows picture of real small children instead of drawn. similar to their /jb/ or jailbait boards. Some of these picture can be found with a tag on them saying "Open with winrar". When you do this these certain picture open text documents with links or bat info that leads to child porn or "CP". when people would open these in winrar most of the time they would be linked to such a website as Goatse or tubgirl. The receiver of "CP" would then return to the original thread and tag it with the phrase "The cake is a lie" cake being Child Porn. This phrase is often mistaken for portal where at the end you are rewarded with cake promised throughout the game only to have it taken away. But that would leave incorrect. The meaning of this phrase was lost some time ago and was only brought back when portal was introduced and it fit so well.
by FPSBP Anon March 16, 2008
by lol, ytmnd October 16, 2007