Totally. If you say something too negative in an interview, they might take notice. If you go with a couple of white lies to smooth over a bad job or project, nobody will think twice. Most of the time nobody is paying attention, so don't give them a reason to.
If you think they're not lies, that's fine. However, what you describe are exactly the sort of "white lies" I'm talking about. At a previous company, half of my coworkers literally did negative work, creating a mountain of technical debt that a couple other people had to clean up. My complaints about this were ignored, repeatedly. I was told my complaints were invalid by someone who had roughly half my level of experience, but a fancier fake title for less pay. They were, indeed, very accommodating of people of all skills and abilities. ;)
> These are not lies and you should not lie, because if you go counterfactual, that will be found out.
You can go counterfactual with your "professional opinion," which is useful in debates with no clear answer when your opinion has sway. It's a great way to put your thumb on the scale, and unless you say wildly inconsistent things very visibly, you will not be found out.
> preparing for an interview with "lies" in your mind is going to backfire on you.
> the management "was quite dedicated to the company's goals and productivity".
I see no difference between these things. One is what you say instead of what you think, the other is what you say to mask what you think. shrug
If the management was not dedicated to the company’s goals and productivity, then you don’t say that. There is your difference.
> a couple of white lies
Don't ever approach it this way. You never need to lie, and preparing for an interview with "lies" in your mind is going to backfire on you.
You can use the technique of "mental reservation". There is always something positive or complimentary that can be said about every bad situation, every horrible supervisor. It is simply a matter for you to examine it dispassionately, extract the good, and frame that nicely without introducing insults or the real negativity and pain that you felt in the moment.
If your supervisor overworked you and you were induced to come in for 70-hour weeks and you ultimately burned out with no vacation or weekends, you could say that the management "was quite dedicated to the company's goals and productivity". If you considered your coworkers to be slackers and they never seemed to work, "the company accommodated a wide range of talents, skills and abilities." If you never saw your supervisor and had nearly no guidance on projects or tasks, "the management believed in me and trusted me to do the right thing in nearly every respect."
These are not lies and you should not lie, because if you go counterfactual, that will be found out. If, on the other hand, they know you had a difficult time and you still found ways to compliment those bastards, then perhaps you will do the same favor for them one day.