I think you are being kind in the sense of, "Don't attribute to malice that which is explainable by chance or ignorance." OTOH, as you didn't realize that people lie until you were 45, I can assume that your AS also didn't help you to understand the willingness of other people to choose anti-information paths that justify evil actions (Evil: an action taken based on an unquestioned belief). The complex and antagonistic properties of modern civilization have developed systems to purposely disinform 'customers' and citizens for malicious reasons and profits. Choice is a pretense when these systems are applied. Religions have been using similar methods for (sometimes) benign reasons for millennia, so we are conditioned to a certain level of unquestioned belief in custom and language.
Race and gender oppression is a good example of how entire countries can be conditioned to choose ignorance over awareness. When a dominant group benefits, those who profit from that dominance can choose to ignore evidence or to investigate it.
Some people are more susceptible to one way or the other.