Category: Lying

I may be young, but I’m old enough to know when you lying.

Adults seem to think (or at least most adults I know), that children are entirely gullible creatures, with no sense of what is the truth, and what is fantasy. And in some cases, when we are young this is true. But don’t try to pull the same lies ten years later when I very well know that broccoli won’t make me fly.

Lying to your kids can have detrimental effects in the future. Let’s take into account the tooth fairy problem. When I was 7 I lost my third tooth. In a fit of hurried excitement, I raced down the stairs, briefly yelled at my mom that I had ripped my tooth out of my bleeding gums, and ran back upstairs. I dove into bed (it was 2 o’clock in the afternoon) and shoved my tooth under my pillow. After an hour my mom coaxed me out of my bed with the promise of cookies and explained to me that the tooth fairy only operates at night. I grudgingly dragged myself through the day, eating my dinner and playing in the park. That night I could hardly sleep for excitement. When I did finally fall asleep my dreams were full of fairies, and candy. When I woke up the next morning, I reached underneath my pillow, expecting to find a quarter, or a piece of candy, only to come up empty. My tooth was still there as well. I ran into my mom’s room, yelling that surely I had done something horrible. After all, no sensible child with a tooth to offer would be spurned by that holiest of criminals, the tooth fairy. My mom explained that the tooth fairy must have simply forgotten and that I should go back to sleep, as it was 5 in the morning. I did as she asked. Not ten minutes after my revelation, I felt a hand slipping under my pillow. Convinced that a small pixie-like creature had come for my tooth, I turned expecting to see a glowing light or something of the sort. Alas, it was just my mother, expecting me to be asleep. I stared at her malice in my eyes. “Hello, Mother,” I said, “do you have something to tell me?” I used to enjoy pretending to be Lex Luthor, so I sat up and began to stroke my stuffed white cat plush, bought specifically for the occasion when I could pretend to be a malicious evil genius thirsting for blood. She broke down and told me everything. There wasn’t really an ancient fairy that broke into our home to steal my discarded bone fragments. I was devastated. Mainly because my mom had been lying to me my entire life. There seems to be this double standard when comes to children and lying. Adults are expected, even encouraged to lie to their children, whereas if a child lies to you, they are punished. Tell me how is telling your child that a fat old man who delivers toys breaks into your home once a year, by entering through the chimney any different than lying about who ate the last cookie in the jar? I am aware that lying about misbehaving shouldn’t be rewarded. but I think that adults underestimate how much a kid can take. when I was 6, I had a pet caterpillar named Lord Henry Frumplekins Chandelier the Third. after two weeks someone stepped on him. My parents told me he had turned into a butterfly and had flown away to Costa Rica, and that I couldn’t visit until I was 17. I eventually figured out that Henry was no longer suffering from caterpillar hood. I honestly would have preferred that my parents had just told me he died. it would have saved them a ton of questions and harassment from me, and B it wouldn’t have gotten my hopes up. Sometimes it is better to tell your kid the truth. we can take more than you think.

Throughout history, there have been many ideas as to what a lie is and what, if anything, constitutes a lie to be okay or allowed. There are many significant figures that each have their own views on the concept of truth-telling and what they believe to be right. In some cases, these figures think that there are exceptions to lying, only when necessary, but there are also others who objectify against any type of lie or untruth. In this paper, the thoughts of individuals such as Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Ayatollah Shirazi will be discussed with material from the writings of Janet Smith, Ayatollah Shirazi, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Salman Rushdie’s case and ideals will be examined in the context of truth-telling in Islam. From both Christian and Muslim traditions, there are ways that truth-telling should be told and exceptions. On one hand, there is the Christian side who have beliefs on lying, for example, Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and on the other hand, there is the Islamic/ Muslim view from Ayatollah Shirazi.

To begin with, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Christian that believed that the truth is owed to no man, but God himself. Everything about the truth is for God and only God. As discussed in his writing “What is Meant by “Telling the Truth”, there is an educational standpoint that reveals that truth-telling is something that is learned and can be taught. His view also states that there is a fine line between lying from a parent to their child, and from the child to the parent. In his writing, he makes it clear that it is okay for parents to withhold information or to not tell the whole truth and be honest to their children, but their children must tell everything to their parents, with everything being the truth. This writing also shares that telling the truth is dependent on the situation that one is in and the relationships that are present. From his point of view, Satan has truth and that is in essence, it denies everything that is right and real. He entails that God’s truth is the epitome of judging the good of reality, whereas Satan’s truth judges the opposite, out of resentment. Bonhoeffer believes that the reality of truth is complicated because the truth can be altered to suit any situation in which defies what a truth genuinely is. From these different situations, there is no way to tell what the truth is because the truth and what is not the truth becomes interchangeable. At the end of this piece of writing, Bonhoeffer states that it is almost impossible to correctly identify what constitutes a lie.

Moving on to Saint Thomas Aquinas’ view, discussed in Janet Smith’s writing “Lying: A Metaphysical Issue before a Moral Issue”, the foundation for his beliefs are based on Aristotle’s teleological view of nature and that lying is wrong because it goes against the ethics and nature of speech. Aquinas believes that lies are falsehoods and that falsehoods go against the idea of nature and the purpose of the speech. Aquinas defines a lie as an occurrence of three combined instances. These consist of the falsehood itself of what is said, the will to tell a falsehood, and the intention to deceive. Smith states that “Uttering a statement that is false and committing the sin of lying is not the same. Only some false statements are formal lies or sins” (Smith). From this stems the idea that Aquinas defines as not all falsehoods are true formal falsehoods. For example, when someone says what they hold to be as correct or true when it is in fact wrong, but they genuinely believe what they said to be as true, it is not a formal falsehood. This is because they believe that what they are saying is correct.

In Sissela Bok’s “Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life,” the philosopher examines the behaviour of lying and deception in public and private life. The results of such lies are then investigated through many real-life situations in which people are involved, either as liars or as the victims of deceit. The main focus of this paper will show that Bok did not adequately address an objection to the position that she discusses. Sissela Bok believes in ethics, morality, and individual rights. She sheds light on how it has been a deep-rooted tradition that “political philosophy endorses some lies for the sake of the public” (167). Many generations of rulers and religious figures have created and preserved myths played on the “gullibility of the ignorant, and sought stability in shared beliefs.” (167). These people in power see themselves as superior to those they have fooled, believing that they have a better understanding of what is at stake. They do not believe that the public will be able to bear the burden of the truth. Bok believes lying is not acceptable, she directs her core argument mainly around prioritizing being truthful over avoiding harm to the deceived. The limitation to her premise is that it is only justifiable if deceptive practices can be openly debated and consented to in advance in a democracy. Similar to a debate between one’s legal duties versus one’s moral duties. Bok argues that political fabrication is usually consequential, especially lies told by those occupying positions of power and authority in American society. The first application of her premise is the case of American involvement in the Vietnam war as an example of political deception. Where President Johnson made himself look like the “candidate of peace” during the election, but shortly after winning the United States launched “massive bombing raids” (171) in North Vietnam. Bok examines the lies by political figures that are rationalized as producing more “public good,” and questions whether it is justifiable if the purposes are so altruistic. She believes that that political leaders get used to deceiving that they become apathetic to truthfulness and equality, which are the foundations of democracy. Bok also examines deception and consent in public life. She understands that white lies are as common in political affairs as they are in private lives. However, Bok advocates that white lies should be kept to the absolute minimum to limit “widespread deceitful practices” (176). For Bok, it is normally inexcusable for public officials to deceive the public for “their own good,” yet she argues that in situations where the public receives a chance to publicly discuss a certain type of deceit, then that deceit can be justified if consent is given in advance. Bok is essentially claiming that it is rare in cases where lying can be justified.

Lying is an issue that has been constantly debated over periods of time. Some people believe that lying is sometimes acceptable in certain circumstances, while some believe lying is always bad. Bok insists that public servants should always be truthful and transparent in the act of their service, according to Bok. Unfortunately in our society today, lying has become a pattern that many governments display. So why give away such a dangerous power that does not seem to have people’s interest at heart? That is because a political lie may be a mechanism used to empower rather than deceive. In a democratic society, the people trust in the people they elect, believing that someone else’s judgement, to tell the truth when needed. There are countless situations where governments have fabricated events and deceived their own people, for “the public good.” Deceitful practices have shown to uphold positive and negative responses from their people. Throughout history, governments have always lied and will probably continue to lie. It is a disturbing reality to see; however, there can be distinctions between certain types of lies within a government. Nonetheless, when there is a crisis where overpowering harm can be avoided only through deceit, can those who deceive be justified? Nobles lies can be justified because of the important goals they can secure. First, I will argue that Bok’s trivial viewpoint is problematic because she did not provide a definitive guideline for when deceitful behaviours arise in critical situations. For example, in a case where sensitive information must be kept away from the public and other countries, lying seems to be the best alternative. Bok’s response to this objection was somewhat insufficient because a population can “publicly debate” for when it is permissible to lie, but she did not address what happens if that population cannot come into agreement about these standards. Bok brought up an example of how President Johnson lied about America’s involvement in the Vietnam war to win the election and the aftermath was that Americans lost trust in their government. She also uses this example to generalize that lying only leads to corruption, even lying for good reasons. In a political system of the representatives who act on behalf of the people, we often forget about the authority that resides in the power of the people. In this case then we should lose trust in the people who elected the representatives. Her objection is flawed because she only considers the viewpoint of the deceived victims. Bok may be shortsighted on seeing how lying may divert the negative outcomes of the truth. The second objection that Bok addresses are how governments sometimes lie temporarily to avoid public panic and chaos. I will use one of her examples to show that Bok’s inadequate response to this objection only addresses the aftermath of deceitful behaviours and not the events before. The time shortly before World War II, a crisis was appearing before the United States of America, the nation needed to prepare and acquire support from allies. Bok is against how the American government bypass consent for moving the nation closer to war. She states how once the public uncovers the truth it will destroy public trust which pressures the government to lie even more. In a situation such as deciding whether or not to participate in warfare, the public will always be divided amongst themselves and will not come into agreement. This will essentially cause public tension and confusion, the government will struggle to unite a divided nation, especially in a time of war. She seems blind to see how lying may partially resolve a problem, if not fully. There is a difference between lying with malicious intent and lying with the sincere intention of improving people’s lives. Bok does not take into the account of intentions, the root of how one acts, in any of her arguments.

The effect that lying has on our moral can change our lives. People would call you names, they wouldn’t want to listen to you because all they think your saying is all lies, they won’t wanna be your friend, or be around you at all. When you lie in a work place you could be fired or you could lose the respect that people had for you. Each lie i tell contradicts the part of me that that gives me that gives me moral worth. In the Marine Corps when you go through boot camp one of the things your told not to do is lie and that is because it makes the Marine Corps look bad and if your lying about something serious it could ruin your career and no one can help you out as much.

When you lie it makes you look bad and makes your peers look bad. You have a chain of command for a reason, when you get in trouble or are in trouble for doing something that you shouldn’t have done and you don’t tell your Cpl’s right away then it could ruin your luck of getting help in the future when you do decide to call and tell your chain of command what happened either out in town or on base. We have to tell the truth not only because it’s the right thing to do but it shows that you know what you have done is wrong and that you care about your career. Everyone knows that lying is bad and we’ve been told that our whole lives by our parents.

But why do we do it? We do it because we either want to cover our wrong up so we don’t get punished, we lie because we want to protect our friends, coworkers, your siblings, your spouse, anyone that we care about to get punished. Even if you don’t agree with them you are protecting did that put them in danger? In serious lies there is a threat of significant damage if the lie is discovered: loss of freedom, money, job, relationship, reputation, or even life itself. Very often people lie to get out of an awkward social situation. They may not know how to do it. When you don’t care about other people, lies don’t seem to matter. A lack of empathy essentially means a lack of conscience, which is a hard concept to grasp for a lot of people.

When people lie it doesn’t hurt them as much as it hurts the other people, people put so much trust in each other that they think that the person won’t lie to them, but when the person gets caught it affects the other person or people quite a lot. people tell lies because they are trying to control a situation and exert influence toward getting the decisions or reactions they want.It may not feel like it to you, but people who tell lie after lie are often worried about losing the respect of those around them. They want you to like them, be impressed, and value them. And they’re worried that the truth might lead you to reject or shame them.

Lying can create a snowball effect, after telling one lie we then have to create another lie to cover up that lie and another and another, each gets bigger and bigger. We tell lies so we don’t look weak by telling the truth and letting whoever know what actually happened, we also don’t want to lose our friends trust if we lie for them because again we try to protect them or ourselves and no one likes to have back up when we know we did something wrong so we lie and we have our friend or someone help cover it up with you by lying with you so one or both of you don’t get in trouble and it seems more real when two people lie about the same thing with a fake story. When someone says a lie, it’s often because they genuinely believe, at that moment, that it is the truth. Their memory has been overwhelmed by stress, current events, and their desire to find a way to make this situation work. Sometimes this can become so severe that the person almost seems to have created a complete alternate world in their head, one that conforms to their moment-by-moment beliefs and needs.

A lie may be described as a statement that misrepresents, conceals, distorts, or suppresses the truth, and that is usually made for the purpose of deceiving someone. The act of lying is usually an act of intentionally trying to deceive someone by making a false statement or misrepresenting, concealing, or distorting the truth. A person who thinks that, and acts as if, he is telling the whole truth about something may not actually know the whole truth about that thing, and thus he may be viewed as an untrustworthy and unreliable source of information by those who are aware of his incomplete knowledge of that thing. If he is actually aware that he does not know the whole truth and yet claims to know the whole truth, then he may be trying to deceive others about the extent of his knowledge, and he may in fact be lying. If it is not possible for a person to know the whole truth about something, then it might be mistaken for him to pretend that he knows the whole truth about that thing if he intends to mislead or deceive others into having false beliefs about that thing.

Lying is probably one of the most common wrong deeds that we do as humans. Some have said that lying is an unavoidable part of human nature and that sometimes there is good reason for it, but I do not believe that it is a necessary thing to do, and it can cause massive amounts of damage to both the liar, the person being lied to, and society in general.

Lying is a form of deception and manipulation. It is feeding another person false information to mislead them and selfishly benefit themselves or a situation. There are lies that are believed to be told without malicious intention, these are called white lies. These are believed to be told with good intentions, intended to benefit the person being lied to by making them feel good or to prevent their feelings from being hurt, but how do you really define what is a lie and what is a white lie? And surely if the person being white lied to finds out that it’s a lie, they will probably end up feeling hurt anyway. I still believe lies are lies, whether it is a white lie or not, and lying is wrong and damaging. Being lied to damages us because it makes us feel devalued as a person as if we are not seen as equal or respected in the same way as others, and then makes us doubt our own abilities to assess the truth and make the right decisions. We then become untrusting, and in some cases, people who have been lied to may seek revenge, even though two wrongs do not make a right. Liars are manipulating the people who are people lied to and are treating them as a means to achieve their own self-purpose (a means to an end), and not thinking about their fellow humans. Some say that lying is bad because speech and language are essential to us as a human society, with this use of speech, we have an obligation to use it truthfully and by lying, we are breaking an unwritten contract within society.

However you lie to a person, it is very likely that the truth will come out, which is where the saying ‘what is done in the dark will always come to light’ comes from, and when this happens, you are diminishing the trust that people have for you, and also the trust of other humans. The lie makes it difficult for the person who is being lied to, to make a free, informed decision about the subject being lied about, and if that’s the case, surely it just confuses the situation even further as they are basing their decisions on false information. This is where I believe lies start to grow, as the liar has to keep patching over questions the person being lied to might have from feeling confused about the false information and the liar has to have a good memory to remember their web of lies otherwise they will be caught out faster. Lies can grow so easily, which makes the liar gradually more and more corrupt. Lying can then become a habit, as the liar does it so regularly that they find it so easy to do and they become comfortable with it. If everyone lied to everyone all the time, and lying became more generally accepted, the general level of truth would fall, social cohesion would be weakened and no one would trust anyone or anything and you would live only with the information and knowledge that you have personally found out as fact.

As mentioned in our textbook, it is very well known that people do lie, and many examples of politicians lying to the public are given. There are many examples given regarding politicians lying about their infidelity, which would suggest the politician is lying to protect his own image which in my opinion is disgusting. If the action is something you have to lie about, don’t do it. How can a person be a consequentialist and be thinking about the effects when it comes to lying, but not at the point that they are cheating on their wife? It is very hypocritical and extremely selfish. Within our textbook, Mill discusses how ‘men often, from infirmity of character, make their election for the nearer good (a short term selfish action), though they know it to be less valuable, and this no less when the choice is between two bodily pleasures than when it is between bodily and mental. They pursue sensual indulgence to the injury of health, though perfectly aware that health is the greater good.’ This perfectly explains why these politicians make these immoral decisions which they already know are immoral, and this is why they then lie about their selfish actions afterward out of fear of judgment.

Another example of politicians lying is during times of war or disagreement with other countries. When two countries are against each other, it seems the obligation, to tell the truth, is reduced in order to deliberately deceive or mislead the other country in the wrong direction. I believe this take on lying is consequentialist as the politicians believe the other countries do not deserve the truth if they intend to do us harm. They may believe that telling a lie may prevent harm to many.

Ethical philosophers such as John Stuart Mill who supports the view of consequentialism, utilitarianism, and being teleological would assess lying by taking into consideration the consequences that would be caused by the lie. This could mean that telling the lie could be the wrong thing to do due to all of the damaging effects previously mentioned that it could have on a person or society, but it could also support the theory that if the lie produces a better result then not telling it, that is could be the right thing to do. Even though this seems to consider common sense, I do not believe that it does as it is not practical or even always possible to pre-assess in advance the negative or positive consequences of a lie, future consequences are hard to predict. Another factor that I feel makes this theory impractical is that measuring good and bad is not easy, and if you’re a person who lies, I do not think you’re the best person to measure this anyway. In order to be anywhere near morally correct enough to try to measure the good and bad of the consequences of a lie, you would be required to value everyone involved equally and not value your own wishes more than anyone else’s, but again, I think if you’re telling a lie, you are putting your own wishes above another person’s and not seeing them as an equal.

Rule Utilitarianism would suggest that lying is wrong because it is harmful to people and society. Act Utilitarianism suggests that you should consider every lie separately and that there may be some cases where it is okay to lie. I do not think that it is right that you could say on one hand lying is wrong, but then also in the same breath suggest that lying can be right in some occasions, it needs to be one or the other, and I personally believe that lying is wrong and harmful as a whole.

I think that when it comes to lying, I sway more towards a deontological way of thinking. Deontologists base their decisions and morals on general universal laws of what is right and wrong, rather than on the consequences of the action. Philosopher Immanuel Kant believed that lying is always wrong. This is based on the principle that we should all treat each other as an end in itself, and never as a means. When you lie to a person you are not respecting them, you are just using them as a means to get what you want. A famous quote from Kant is ‘I ought to never act except in such a way that I can also will that my maxim should become a universal law’. This basically means act in a way that you would expect others to act, or ‘act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person, or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end itself. The textbook discusses that if there is to be a supreme practical principle that applies to all humans, a categorical imperative, it must be such that from the idea of something which is necessarily an end for everyone because it is an end in itself it forms an objective principle of the will and consequently can serve as a practical law. The grounds for this principle are that ‘rational nature exists as an end in itself.

I believe that the best ethical solution to lying is more deontological. Lying is one of those things that is a known unwritten rule that is wrong, as well balanced humans, we understand that lying has many negative outcomes and consequences and it is very rare that a situation would come up that lying would be the right thing to do. Some would say that creating a law or unbreakable rule that lying is wrong would not work, even if there were a list of exceptions, I do not believe that this would be something all humans would follow.

As a basic moral, lying is bad and wrong. Some would say that good people don’t lie, and that good behavior displays the virtues found in good people. A good way of helping our conscience when lying is involved is to ask how we would feel if we were on the receiving end of the lie. I live a life where I do not do actions that I would have to lie about, as that usually means they would be actions that may not be morally correct.

Lying is something that should be decreased in society. “Speak the truth. People will forgive an honest mistake; they won’t forgive you if you lie” (Mark Goulston). Lying has been interpreted in many ways in society but there is one true meaning. There are many people who lie numerously over and over, but it is not a device that should be used. Why do people lie? This is a very common question discussed every day by many people. Lying is a mutual thought in a person’s mind is telling them what to do at a specific point in time. These lies somehow always find a way to grow into severe lies over time. When people tell lies to others around them, their trust will begin to get lost, especially when these lies begin to form a habit. A person’s mental state can also be affected when they become dishonest. Lastly lying can be addictive and could cause lies to be never-ending. Certain types of lies may feel necessary in order to protect someone’s feelings or promote positive positive interactions with others. However, lies that are told with malicious intent to deceive can have negative impacts on the relationship with those who are the target of the lie.

Lying can be used with positive intentions. This is mostly used in the form of white lies. Stephanie Ericsson states, “The white lie assumes that the truth will cause more damage than a simple, harmless untruth”. White lies can be used in the smallest of ways, such as telling someone that their brand new kicks look great when in reality the shoes look like they were found on the side of the road after they fell out of the back of a garbage truck. Another example is when someone has harvested a buck and it is the smallest deer in killed in all of California and anyone else that would have killed it would have been so embarrassed that they would have said it was by accident but the person who killed it is so proud of it and people tell him told that it is very big and it should be put on his wall. Lastly is used a lot when someone expresses that the food that has been prepared smells and tastes delicious, but in reality, it actually tastes like a rotten meal found in the back of a fridge that has had no power for ten years. Other white lies consist of people saying that they are on their way even though they have not left yet or as Jeff Hancock shares in The Future of Lying Ted Talk that people do not want to answer their phone so they decide to tell the person later that their phone died. Stepanie Ericcson also shares an example of a white lie, “The bank called today and I told them that my deposit was in the mail, even though I hadn’t written a check yet”. These white lies do not harm anyone and are intended to protect another person’s feelings.

Lies make a person untrustworthy and affect their relationships moving forward with who they are deceiving. “No one believes a liar. Even when she’s telling the truth” (Sara Shepard). For example, a child lying to their parents about their grades, the child is trying to protect themselves by ensuring that their grades are good but are not allowing their parents to help them to get their grades back on track. This can lead to parents paying more for college than if their students would have gotten help with their grades to have a chance of receiving a scholarship to help pay for some of the college fees. Another example is when a spouse lying to a spouse about a diagnosis to try to assure them that nothing is wrong when they can be changing their diet or seeking medical attention or try to resolve the situation that has come to them. “Lying is done with words, and also with silence” (Adrienne Rich). Lastly, a friend lying to a friend about something that never happened. This can lead to others around them being wary and not wanting to have anything to do with them anymore just because of a lie. These lies that are told can cause trust issues between families and friends which can segregate them from having a positive relationship.“Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies” (Dorothy Allison).

Lies negatively impact one’s ability to face the consequences of their own choices in a mature way. For example, a student lying to a teacher about a recent death in their family to try to get an assignment pushed back a few more days. “It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one” (George Washington). This promotes not only a lack of character but not facing responsibility, laziness, and procrastination. If students get away with this they will use this excuse out in the world which can lead to their regret later in life. Another example is a child lying to their parents about where they are or what they are doing. If the parent has false whereabouts of their child and something is going wrong there is no way to tell where they are. This can lead to serious consequences such as injury but worst of all, death. “ A single lie destroys a whole reputation of integrity” (Baltazar Gracian). Finally, if employees constantly lie to their bosses about why they are not making it to work on time or not coming in at all a lack of integrity is formed. This will show when they get caught in their lie which can lead to them losing their job altogether.

To those that a person lies to, they are taking away their ability to make informed decisions about how they want to proceed. An example of this is when a designated driver fails to inform his passengers that he had shotgunned three beers before they are about to leave. The people that are about to enter his car can not make an informed decision whether or not to get another ride or to call their parents to get picked up. This can lead to serious injuries or even death to those innocent people because an ignorant person lied to them and put their lives in danger. “When the truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a lie” (Yevgeny Yevtushenko). Another example is a significant other lie about cheating on their partner. Their partner can not make an informed decision about breaking up and moving on with their lives and finding another person who will love and treat them with respect. They will be in a relationship with their partner who does not have a care in the world and will most likely decide to cheat on them once again. “Trust is so essential for a strong and successful relationship that when it is lost, the chances of total collapse are very high” (A Conscious Rethink).

In conclusion, having integrity in interactions with others is an important goal to strive for. It is imperative to face the truth, speak the truth, and be willing to accept the consequences of a truthful reality. Although there are times when a person may bend the truth to benefit those around them or to spare hurt feelings. A person should continue to strive to be as honest as possible. For example, instead of telling a friend the dinner, they cooked was delicious when it was overcooked and tasteless a person could instead say I appreciate your thoughtfulness for inviting me to dinner. The result is the same because feelings were spared but the truth still prevails. White lies are lazy and often roll easily off the tongue but the challenges are to continue to pursue honesty as well as kindness with your relationship with others. “Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth-telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth-loving” (James Faust). Truthfulness is the respectful path to pursue and in doing so the principle of virtue will shine through to provoke deceiving altogether.

Acting and lying are two rather distinguishable things with a few remarkable similarities. Such as how both can hold truth, whether concealed within the context or scattered in amongst the words spoken. Along with how the quality and technique of the action vary from person to person. Although despite these similarities the two still are not the same. There are plentiful differences that the two hold that truly keep them separated, and in their own way add to the gray line between the two. Still, the question remains which is better lying or acting, and I believe the answer is acting. The reasons being in how they are informed, the truth is hidden in both, and where either action is executed.

Acting is perceived all over as an ability that many should master. So much so that in almost any town or city you can encounter at least one location willing to teach instruct both the elderly and adolescents. Whereas with lying you would be fortuitous to locate a video willing to teach you to be a semi-good liar or some limited online source. Also if someone wished to find any place with like-minded individuals to learn about the skill that is lying, they would have next to no chance. Luckily though if some young minds wanted to gain and improve their acting skills they could even go to their local public school and take the courses offered to overact. There are schools all over the world that offer to teach acting to anyone who is involved, will put in lots of hard work, and are possibly willing to pay the right price. There are even prestigious world-recognized schools that focused solely on the art of performing and acting. Besides the fact that acting is such and commended skill that is often praised if it is done correctly. Yet still with lying it’s often looked down upon especially when done well enough no one could tell you weren’t telling the truth.

Acting often has some truth hidden amongst each performance. Sometimes it’s hidden and meant to make all who watch wonder and question its true context. Whereas with lying the truth may be amongst the act of lying, but it gets tainted by the lies themselves. Causing everyone, and even the liar themselves at times, to question if the truth really is the truth or is it just another lie. That alone shows such a great distinction between the two. Lying can wreck the truth in many various ways but acting adds to the truth. Acting can make the truth alluring and exclusive even if it was something originally straightforward and plain. While yes at times acting can ruin the truth and make it far more convoluted than it needs to be, usually it makes it something more. Something people want to grasp and acquire as their own knowledge.

Now, there is where both acting and lying are performed. When someone thinks of acting and where they may go to enjoy the experience more often than not they will think of the theater. Whereas with lying people tend to have a rather darker image of where it is performed. Usually, they think of some unpleasant bar or a tacky casino where characters of ill will are often imagined to be. The truth is that yes you can find people who lie there but you can find liars almost anywhere if you truly search. Anyone can be a liar no matter if they’re your boss, a child, or that welcoming neighbor down the street. Which makes lying even that much worse, because no one can ever truly realize if someone is lying too. Whereas with acting people tend to notice when they’re observing a performance. This is due to the fact they are generally in a theater and have paid an amount to scrutinize the performance.

Finally, there are those who may say that lying is far superior to acting. Such as those who were once a part of the lying society that believed that lying was dying as time passed due to no one truly perfecting the skill. They may counter everything said here with how some believe that acting is just the famous child of lying. Along with how one could lie all the time, and no one is the wiser except for the liar himself. Forming some tangible secret only they know of, makes lying even better than acting. Even how an actor may play their part and recite their lines perfectly and still never know the true meaning of the performance they are creating. Whereas a liar knows the truth behind almost every word they say and the fact they alter. Yet they are still so wrong in the belief because even if all that is true there is some grand beauty that acting possess that lying could never hope to shine a light onto.

So, in conclusion, acting is better than lying. Generally, acting and lying are two things that are almost the same. Yet, they have their own characteristics inside that make them become very different. The difference may come from the personality, intensity, and also reason. From the differences, acting is seen as a good thing whereas lying is a negative one. In a simple way, we can say that an actor is the best of liars, but a liar is the worst of actors.

Introduction

Lying is something that everyone has done at one point or another in their lives. Whether it was a white lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or a more serious lie to cover up something, lying is a part of human nature. However, there are also many arguments against lying. Some people believe that lying is always wrong, no matter the circumstances. Others believe that lying is only wrong if it hurts someone else. 

There are many different reasons why people lie. In some cases, people lie to protect themselves or to avoid getting in trouble. In other cases, people lie to protect others. Sometimes, people lie to make themselves look better or to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. Whatever the reason, lying is a complex issue with no easy answers. 

Arguments for and against lying can be difficult to resolve. On one hand, lying is seen as morally wrong and a betrayal of trust. On the other hand, sometimes lying is the best or only option available. In the end, the decision to lie or not to lie is a personal one that each individual must make for themselves.

Lying can be defined as an intentional act of deception. This means that someone who is lying is deliberately trying to mislead others. There are many different reasons why people might lie, but some of the most common reasons include trying to avoid punishment, seeking financial gain, or trying to protect someone else. 

While lying can often have negative consequences, there are also times when it can be beneficial. For example, if someone is in danger and needs to be protected, lying may be the best way to ensure their safety. In other cases, lying may be the only way to avoid a potential conflict.

The Harm that Lying can Cause

Lying is harmful because it can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and even break relationships. When someone lies, they are not being truthful and honest. This can make it difficult for others to trust them. Additionally, lying can also cause people to doubt themselves and their own abilities. People who frequently lie may also have difficulty telling the truth when it really matters. In short, lying can cause a great deal of harm to both the person who is lying and the people who are around them. 

Lying is harmful for a number of reasons. It can damage relationships, lead to mistrust, and cause people to doubt their own perceptions and memories. Lying can also create confusion and conflict, and it can be used to manipulate and control others. In some cases, lying can even lead to violence.

The Benefits of Telling the Truth

There are many benefits to telling the truth. 

First, it is the morally right thing to do. Lying is dishonest and can lead to a loss of trust. 

Second, telling the truth can save you from getting into trouble. If you lie, you may get caught and end up in more trouble than if you had just told the truth in the first place. 

Finally, telling the truth can help build and maintain strong relationships. People who are honest with each other tend to have stronger and more lasting relationships.

Why People Lie

There are a number of reasons why people lie. In some cases, people lie to avoid getting into trouble or because they are afraid of the truth. Other times, people lie in order to take advantage of someone else. Whatever the reason for lying, it is generally considered to be wrong and can have serious consequences.

Lying is usually done in order to protect oneself or to gain an advantage. However, lying can also have negative consequences. For example, if someone lies about their qualifications in order to get a job, they may eventually be found out and lose the job. Lying can also damage relationships. If someone lies to their friend or partner, the friend or partner may eventually find out and the relationship may be damaged.

Conclusion 

Lying is never the answer. It may seem like the easy way out of a difficult situation, but it always has consequences. Lying destroys relationships, creates suspicion and mistrust, and can lead to further lies to cover up the first one. The truth may be difficult to hear, but it is always the beast option in the long run.

I wonder how things would have turned out for me if I was satisfied with just being me if I knew how many things I would end up losing, or if I knew how to be honest sooner.

Struggling with an eating disorder, I have lived my whole life as a lie. I lied about how much I ate, I lied about how often I ate, and I lied about what I did after I ate. Not being able to handle my emotions, thoughts, and compulsive behavior I started to self-treat myself; I isolated myself from the world and lived with my own set of rules. I hid in a closet so I could avoid having a conversation because I knew that another lie would come out of my mouth. I became very skilled at hiding, isolating, and lying all in an attempt to continue my behavior; this was the only way I could manage the unmanageability of my behaviors. All of these uncomfortable feelings and experiences seemed to be completely out of control, and this illusion of addition felt like the only thing I could control, but it was quite the opposite. Lying had become an integral part of me and it eventually all came crashing down; I lost my close net of friends, I lost potential sports scholarships and somewhere I lost myself.

Growing up, I never thought about nor had any issues with the way my body looked or my weight. I don’t remember wanting to look like anyone else but me. My dad used to tell me ever since I was four I wanted to play professional soccer- this interest may have started due to my family’s obsession with the game itself. After moving to the States I was enrolled in a local soccer club, and since then my love for the game just grown. Through the sport I met my best friends who became inseparable, we did everything together; school volleyball, soccer, student council, and everything outside of school. That is probably why freshmen year has passed by quickly and why I did not obsess over my body. It was only until the end of the school year- that a health advisor came to one of our practices to talk about a healthy eating lifestyle that triggered my obsession with my weight.

My summer before going into sophomore year I started building thoughts about “what if”- “what if I cut this out from my diet.” “Why?” “It’s good for my health” I would say. This was not uncharacteristic of me to do since I was an athlete and my health guru mom was just proud of me for eating righteously. I started working out every day; I would go around the trail behind our house once a day which became twice a day. Something inside me was still not satisfied with the way I looked so midway through the summer I started devolving ways to disrupt my diet. To take suspension out from the dinner table, I would eat more than usual and later make myself purge. My mind knew this was wrong and unhealthy but I could not help counting calories or weighing myself every hour. My mind had spiraled out of control and with that so was my friend. Because I was so invested in how I wanted to look, I was slowly drifting away from my friends. Consumed with alien-like behavior, setting new goals to fit into smaller sizes was all I thought about. This change of personality was evident, from an extroverted, happy-go-lucky girl to a very antisocial, nobody.

I began to lie about more and more. I lied about why I wasn’t feeling well enough to go to school, I lied about why I couldn’t make it to my soccer games. Soon my friends started to tell me I “needed to change” I immediately became offended. After all the struggle and hard work of reaching a weight I was satisfied, they wanted me to change. I was confused. All of a sudden I cared about what others had to say to me. Every time someone offered a piece of advice about the recovery I very much needed I resented them and told them I was perfectly fine. I wasn’t fine, I needed help- it was my eating disorder that had complete control over me. All the talent and potential I once had as a Soccer player was destroyed. My passion for soccer was swept away, as I was too weak. The one thing I’ve dreamed of becoming was somehow unreachable. When all my friends were attending their soccer games I locked myself in my room, I realized how much I had lost. I knew I did not want to continue lying I was ok knowing how much I had lost already.

As someone who went through the process of recovery, I cannot reiterate how recovery has made my life easier. It will be one of those hard life-changing choices you have to make, where you start realizing the lies inside you had made you believe. You no longer have to deal with pitiful stares, disappointed school grades, self-hate, or the lies the voices instruct you to utter. Asking for help and accepting it was what saved me from digging my own grave. To be able to gather my courage and speak about what I went through allowed me to find myself. Millions of young adults go through this and many of them like me are torn between continuing to tell lies to satisfy their voice and being tired of fighting and digging their graves. The only way out of any struggle is by having the courage to accept and speak the truth about what you’re going through. Looking back, my experiences have impacted every part of my life, I’ve accepted the way I am, and though it’s still a struggle to not want to look a certain way; I learned to call out on my lies.

The Crucible is about the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. The play has scenes from the accusations to the court trials. This essay will show John Proctors determination keep his wife alive, keep his marriage together and prove that Puritan law is corrupt.

In this extraordinary play, Arthur Miller demonstrates John Proctor’s internal conflict to display how he dealt with his decision of compromising his marriage and breaking Puritan law to show that Puritan law is corrupt.

John Proctor was trying to hide his sin early in the play. He did not want anyone to know what he did with Abigail. On page 13 the play says “no no I have not come for you”. This shows that he was trying to hide cheating on his wife with Abigail. This part of the scene it is just Abigail and John talking. John is trying to get her to stop talking and forget what happened between them. I think he is trying to convince her that he is not interested in her and will never be. He is trying to not make the same mistake as he did. He wants to keep his marriage and not compromise it. John is trying to hide his sins from the public. The sins that John has commited is lying about committing adultery. Another sin he has committed is committing adultery. Both of these conflicts are internal because he has to live knowing that he has cheated on his wife and he lied about it. He is trying to convince his wife that he will not do it again in scene 2. On page 29 the book says “spare me! You forget nothing you forgive nothing”. I think that John is trying to tell Elizabeth that what happened will never happen again, because Elizabeth is not believing him.

John is not really hiding what happened between him and Abigail later on in the book. On page 66 the book says ”I lusted and there is a promise in such sweat”. This is when he confesses to the court that he committed adultery and compromised his marriage. Elizabeth did not say he cheated on her because she was protecting John. I think that Elizabeth did not know he confessed and was trying to keep John from getting put in jail for witchcraft. After that they put John in jail for witchcraft. He confessed to practicing witchcraft later on in the book On Page the play says “because it is my name! Because I cannot have another! Because I lie and sign myself to lies”. This is after he confesses to practicing witchcraft. He rips up his confession because he does not want to lie just to save his life. I think this shows how his character changes throughout the book. I think this shows that he would not lie about him being a witch, when he is not a witch.

This essay shows how a person’s character can change throughout the play. The theme of the play is that just because your got accused of witchcraft does not mean you do not need to lie. Even if lying keeps you from death. Arthur Miller is trying to show us the way John Proctor changed his character. He is also trying to show us that your do not need to lie. He wants us to see John’s decisions throughout the play and wants the readers to learn from it.