Analysis Of Eriksson 's Article ' The Ways We Lie '

Should we stop lying and should stop letting people lie to us? In “The Ways We Lie”, Stephanie Ericsson describes lying as “a cultural cancer that… reorders reality until moral garbage becomes as invisible to us as water is to a fish” (Ericsson 186). Ericsson believes that we have accepted lies to the point where do not recognize it anymore. Ericsson has a point when she says that lying should not be tolerated, but it should be the unnecessary lies that should not be tolerated. There are lies that are justifiable based on the intent of the person lying. All lies are harmful in their own ways but sometimes we need to lie to protect others and ourselves.

Stephanie Ericsson’s essay, “The Ways We Lie” describes the different types of lies that people use daily to avoid conflict, get out of unpleasant situations, and how lying is destructive. From the onset, Ericsson sets the tone of her essay citing personal examples and stating that it is natural to lie under certain circumstances, however we must consider the connotations of our actions. She explains that there are different categories of lies and begins the essay with white lies, justifying that these minor lies are most often used to avoid confrontation sparing people’s feelings. Ericsson then cites a more serious type of lying, such as facades where people create illusions about themselves and their lives, for personal gain. In fact, Ericsson uses a documented case where a Catholic diocese ignored the plain facts covering up the situation because the church was in

Honesty without integrity can also lead to moral disasters. Well, honesty may be important but not sufficient for integrity. Integrity is both essential and significant. It is acceptable and one will agree with what Stephen L. Carter says about a person having honesty but not integrity. There are also some white lies present. Sometimes saying the truth or telling everything you know might hurt somebody. Harm may not be the intention but positively the effect.

Angelo Segura English 12 Honors Dr. Jen 5 May 2018 The moment we proclaim we don’t or have never lied is the moment we lie. It doesn’t matter how well we say it, there are points in our lives when we are faced with certain situations where the only viable option to get out of it is to lie. Lies may be categorized, but whether it’s a good lie or a bad lie, it’s still a lie. Throughout her essay, “The Ways We Lie”, Stephanie Ericsson explores and exploits different kinds of lies we may use in our daily lives.

Lying: it’s something everyone is guilty of. Whether they be big or small, lies are everywhere. We live in a society full of lies, so we take the consequences of lying with a grain of salt. There’s no doubt about it; lying can be dangerous. Therefore, we should be more wary of our lies and their consequences. Lies can be detrimental and do have the potential to change society for the worse.

In 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology, Stephanie Ericsson’s essay “The Ways We Lie” focuses on the many ways society lies today. “We exaggerate, we minimize, we avoid confrontation, we spare people’s feelings, we conveniently forget, we keep secrets, we justify lying to the big-guy institutions” (159). It is common for many people to think of lying exactly how it is on the surface, not telling the truth. Ericsson’s essay forces you to second guess this stereotype and begin to realize that lying is even more prevalent in today’s society than most people might imagine. Looking around today with this mindset would help us make more informed political decisions, better decisions on friends, and better “next-step” positions. Our lives are not horrible places, but better steps for these areas of our lives could improve our lives dramatically.

Have you ever wondered why it can be so hard to tell the truth, or why it seems better to tell a lie? In both F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Rob Marshall’s Chicago, characters lie because they feel that it is easier. However, lying leads to a downward- spiral. The society we live in can either lead us to a complicated relationship with the truth or easy going. The problem with constantly telling lies is that it starts off with one then leads to another until everything you say is a lie. People know it is easier to tell lies than face the truth because they are either doing it for money, or protection for themselves, people they love, or relationships. Yes, telling lies can help but imagine the damage you’re building up on the way. Nobody likes liars and liars can be found anywhere, even families lie to each other. Relationships are just like thin pieces of paper that make small tears to it every time a lie is told. The paper can be put back together but it will never be the same or be seen the same.

Integrity isn’t always being honest because people can be completely honest with one another but it might not be the right thing to do.

The trait being honest can be easily confused with the trait integrity. “Integrity is about conduct, honesty is about adherence to the facts.” says Monica Cellio from the source; English language and usage. This is a great example leading into the famous actor Tom Hanks. whether he’s playing a lawyer, a soldier, he is always honest, according to Davie-Brown Talent Celebrity Trust Index, which hails the Oscar-winning actor.

Stephanie Ericsson categorizes the many ways people lie on a daily basis. She uses a mixture of facts, quotes and opinions to capture the severity of telling a lie. Her article has enabled me to understand the thought process that goes behind telling a lie. She justifies minor lies by using ethos and stating that minor lies prevents hurt feelings and that it is normal to lie. Stephanie frequently asks rhetorical questions to make readers think of the matter at hand. She also uses anaphora to seem more relatable and understanding to her readers. I tell minor lies on a daily basis but I did not realize that there is so many different types of lies. i and many other people often rationalize with ourselves to make our lies seem less harmful when

A significant form of interpersonal communication that plays an enormous role in relationships is lying. Lying has evolved into a frequent practice in today’s society. Even though, lying seem to be fond upon, we all have done it multiple times for not just our benefit but for others. In relationships, lying is turned from a negative to positive act depending on the circumstances. It seems as if, you lie in attempt to help another person it’s celebrated than if you lie for your benefits. Lying is known to only mislead or give a false impression in which the false hood can only cause negative acts. Why does one enange in lying if the outcome is negative? The most found reason that people find themselves lying is because of the truth. It is said that many people lie because long-term the truth is worse than the short-term lie. Lying is judged off its cost and benefits. In each situation, there will be outcomes when it comes to the lies being told. Lying to those you have impersonal connection with has less of an impact than those you have an interpersonal relationships. Those that has an impersonal relationships is nearly never affected by the lies told because normally they do not see that person as often as those with the close bonds. I understand that lying can be beneficial in relationship of any kind, but I personally feel that the truth is preferred. There are two consequences that puts strain on the relationship. Termination is the last step in a relationship; there are

Honesty and deception both play valuable roles in all parts of personal lives and society. Richard Gunderman stated, “To tell the truth is to live authentically and responsibly, to really live.” Living honestly is a way to have less stress to your life, proven by Richard Gunderman in “Is lying bad for us?” However, dishonesty seems to at an all time high with the growth of communication as stated in “On Bullshit” by Harry Frankfurt. In addition, lying can provide incredible short-term benefits discussed by Stephanie Ericsson in “The Ways We Lie.” Gunderman’s claim on authenticity is valid because most cultures see honesty and trust as two of the more lauded values. Telling the truth relieves stress and adds trust. Yet, there is a seemingly

As we all know, lying is a constant part of many people’s lives, whether they realize it or not. Now and then, we’ve all lied to our parents about our homework being completed. (Even though your homework is not done because playing video games or texting your friends is more interesting.) Honestly, lot’s of us have told a lot of white lies or maybe even a whopper of a lie, and we all have varied views on when we should or shouldn 't lie. Such as Brad Blanton, an author of a book about lying and the article, “Honestly, Tell the Truth” who believes in the concept of radical honesty: telling the truth at all times. (excluding a matter of life or death) By cutting out the white lies we tell throughout the course of our lives, there will be less lies to, as Blanton states “unnecessarily complicate our lives.” I agree with Blanton and his opinion that we honestly need to tell the truth and that if we cut out most if the lies we tell, our lives will be free of the aftermath of a lie: damaged relationships and unnecessary amounts of stress. I believe that lying is burdening to the liar who usually fights a losing battle, for he will most likely be found out. I also believe that if we excessively lie, this pattern will become a habit and a problem that will be hard to get rid of in the future. I consider lying to be harmful and damaging to relationships and to negatively affect your character and lower your moral standards. Everyone has lied occasionally, if not frequently, but if

Have you ever lied with such celerity that surprised you with how quickly it came out? How about a devious lie to your parents to avoid an argument? Well, these lies have been a part of society for as long as we can remember. In preschool, kids are usually taught to not lie, but to be honest after doing something wrong. So, why do most adults still tell lies in their daily life? A large reason for this is due to the sudden feeling to avoid a troubling or sensitive outcome if the truth is revealed. From politicians to characters in a story, lying does not hold any place that contributes to a happy life, in fact it inhibits a person’s ability to face reality.

Integrity, as we all may know,is not a joke. Something many people take very seriously. I would hope you all would know the definition of integrity, if not I guess it would be helpful to tell you. Integrity in the internet's perspective is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness, the state of being whole and undivided. In my Perspective Integrity is being able to be honest and true, to not just yourself but everyone that's in your surroundings as well. There is another version of integrity and that is self-Integrity which is known as the process of knowing your self, a process of self-sought but never completed. Honesty is the state imposed by others, which is somewhat connected to self-integrity. Integrity is how a person will live their life however they please. In this crazy thing we call life, we tend to face many choices every single day that not only can we personally answer but everyone can answer as well. Integrity is doing the right thing versus the wrong thing, and I am not saying that any of the definitions are incorrect, but what I am portraying is that everybody's definition is different, and will always be different.