Lying with Integrity

Mark Twain:
Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said.

I hadn't realised just how often and in how many different situations people lie. I have never resented my parents for 'lying' to me about the existence of Father Christmas. Although some people consider this lie to be wrong, I believe Father Christmas to be an important part of childhood, even if he is 'a lie'.

Although my initial thoughts were that you should always tell the truth, I think this is because it is what I have been taught as a child. Now, I am older, I do not think that it is always right to be honest. Sometimes, lies are necessary to protect people's feelings. When I ask my boyfriend if my bum looks big in an item of clothing, I expect him to answer truthfully, but if I do not like his answer I am bound to feel annoyed. I can understand why to him, saying what I want to hear is the easier option.

However, I think that as far as possible, people should try to be honest and not lie, especially if the other person could be affected in some way. For example, partners who sleep with others should tell the truth because the one who has been betrayed should have the right to choose whether they stay with them or not. Lying in this way could be dangerous because there is the chance of spreading sexually transmitted diseases. A person in the class at the time of the lecture made a good point that people shouldn't do things that they know they will have to lie about afterwards.

I believe that nearly all of the time, honesty is the best policy. For me, one of the most upsetting things is to find out you've been lied to by someone you trust. I think everyone who is considering lying should first ask themselves how they would feel if someone lied to them.

This link is useful to detect all those lying people out there! http://www.blifaloo.com/info/lies_eyes.php

Another interesting link to an article about the science of lying:

http://www.accessexcellence.org/WN/SU/lying599.html