To lie is to make an untruthful statement to another person with the purpose of convincing that person that the statement is true. Lying is considered impolite and a form of bad behavior as it could lead to breaking trustworthy relationships and bonds. However, understanding the reasons why people lie might help us comprehend the problem. But why do people lie and can it be a good thing? There can be various reasons why people lie such as being defensive, sparing feelings, maintaining a good image, or keeping a secret.
The first reason is for defending yourself. Many people lie to protect themselves from what they know they have to face afterward. For example, younger children lie because they know they’ll be punished or have to face consequences. These lies are only told to avoid punishment or a fight. Although the individual may not have done anything wrong, he or she would prefer not to have to justify, explain, or deal with an enraged partner. Another way to protect yourself with lies is how many individuals lie to protect their own feelings, self-esteem, or self-confidence. While some people lie to protect the feelings of others and spare them sorrow or hurt, many people lie to protect their own feelings, self-esteem, self-confidence, or other personal emotion. For example, if a child shouts “I hate you”, they are attempting to protect themselves from being damaged or to reject others before being rejected.
Next, is to spare feelings. Many people who lie do so with good intentions. These are referred to as "white lies," or lies told in order to prevent inflicting harm to another person.
A husband might lie to save his wife's feelings, and a father might lie to keep his child from crying. "That outfit looks beautiful on you," is an example of a white lie. Overall, white lies are for good purposes because in some situations, being completely honest would be unpleasant or disrespectful. “People worry a lot more about if you have good intentions than whether you are being honest." Just keep in mind that lies are most effective when they aren't self-serving. It's a good thing to tell your spouse he or she looks beautiful before a date to boost their self-esteem.
Thirdly, Many people want to project a positive image or impression. For instance, in a job interview, a candidate would dress nicely and try to impress the interviewer in order to get the job. This also leads to the point that everyone wants to be liked, and being a part of a group is both important and natural. Many people lie to gain acceptance from others. A person might pretend to be interested in something or agree with something they don't believe. Lying can be used to maintain a good image and to be liked and accepted by other individuals.
Lastly, lying can sometimes come from a place of respect and love for one another. In most cases, the lies are motivated by feelings of guilt, shame, and remorse. A lie is frequently employed to protect the sentiments and trust of others. Keeping a secret is a big reason why people lie. With secrets, the truth is more likely to come out. The fewer individuals that know the secret, the better. With no lies to conceal the secret, the truth can be revealed when it's not supposed to. Birthdays and Christmas come to mind when thinking of lies that are meant to be kept a secret hidden. With the good purpose of keeping a secret for a surprise, many people lie about where they went or what they bought.
In conclusion, lying is mostly considered bad because a usually truthful world is a good thing. Lying undermines human trust; if people generally didn't tell the truth, life would become extremely difficult since no one could be trusted, and nothing you heard or read could be trusted. But sometimes it can be considered a good thing if you have good intentions and the purpose is to respect and love others.
Sources:
Shortsleeve, Cassie “Honesty Isn't Always the Best Policy in Relationships. Here's When Experts Say It Might Be Better to Lie” Time.com,
‘Understanding People Who Lie” Everyday Health,
Minton, Clarissa, “Here is Why Keeping a Secret from Someone is Not the Same as Lying” The Teen Magazine,
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