Lying: Article Analysis

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.

In the article “It’s the truth: Americans Conflicted About Lying” the author believes that lying is only justified if it doesn’t hurt anyone. The author supports his claim by stating “Apparently white lies are acceptable, even necessary, part of many lives-even though we dislike the idea of lying.” This supports his claim by saying that lying is sometimes necessary. Also, the article states that 65 percent of Americans voted that it was ok to lie sometimes. This also helps his claim by stating that people will lie to protect each other or to not cause harm. The author also supports his claim by stating “Not only is lying justified, It is sometimes a moral duty.” (Randy Cohen) This also supports the claim by saying sometimes you have to lie

William Shakespeare once said, “God hath given you one face, and you make yourself another.” Lying is without a doubt never justifiable because lying can lead into even greater conflicts that might never be resolved additionally lying would ruin someone’s reputation; one might argue that lying can be justifiable under one circumstance which is that lying can protect people from danger; however, lying can make someone lose people’s trust.

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

Lying can be described as the act of telling an untruth, but just when is it ok to lie? In the articles, “It’s the Truth: Americans Conflicted About Lying,” from Life on NBCNEWS.com, and “Brad Blanton: Honestly, Tell the Truth,” by Barbara Ballinger, it provides evidence that leads me to believe that lying is acceptable when you do it to protect a relationship or someone from a life or death situation.

Have you ever lied to avoid getting in trouble, or to protect someone’s feelings? Most likely, since everyone lies at least once in their life. But then, there’s the big question: is lying justified? Most Americans say that white lies are okay, or lies to protect someone’s feelings. Some say that it is never justified, while others say that most lies are justified, even though by lying, it can have a bad consequence. My position is that lying is sometimes justified if you’re trying to protect someone.

Lying has a negative connotation in society. Once word goes around about an individual being a liar, the brutality of ostracizing commences, as if the world doesn’t possess enough pressures already. Yet, everyone lies, and lying can have positive benefits. We lie to protect our loved ones, to protect ourselves from harmful individuals or situations, and to avoid information going into the wrong hands. However, there are lies, such as rumors, that are used to destroy others identities, social life, self-concept, and those who habitually need to lie to feel more reassured of themselves as individuals. Lying’s powerful capabilities are bittersweet to say the least, but within justified moderation, they can pull that three-week-old unidentifiable murky colored gum off from the bottom of your shoe.

If someone were asked if they lied before , the majority answer would show that most have and if they answered no then they just showed evidence that most people lie. There are 4 articles that each show there own unique opinion and stances on lying weather they are in favor of it or not. Lying is usually perceived as unjust and unethical but can be used as a way to protect others.

Do you believe lying is okay? Paul Gary, Priscilla Painton, and Elizabeth Rudolph wrote an article “The U.S. Political campaign; lies to protect” talking about their prospective on the situation. I agree with this article because sometimes we need to protect others from the truth about how we feel. Also just to keep the person as our friend.

In what cases are we allowed and not allowed to lie? The four articles have very different stances when it comes to the topic of lying. Lying is acceptable when you aren’t breaking any laws or causing any harm.

Next, another reason why lying is sometimes okay , is that it depends on the situation. An example is , it is sometimes okay to exaggerate a story to make it more interesting. A support is that four in 10 people said it was okay to lie. My source is

Although I consider myself to be an overall honest person, lying is a part of my daily life. I use these lies when they are more convenient to me or to another person, and when they will get me out of trouble. The following are some of the ways I lie regularly.

If an individual had a “friend” that told the truth, even if they knew it would hurt someone. That “friend” typically would be avoided, because most people do not want to hear the brutal truth especially if it will be something

Tell a lie once and all your truths become questionable. Lying Is sometimes acceptable because if you tell a lie that is in a near situation then it's acceptable. For example if your friend wants to hurt someone and they ask you for some information about where they might be then you will most likely lie to them about that because you don't want anyone to get hurt and you also don't want your friend to get in trouble. This is different then lying about just wanting to go to your friends house. For example if your parents told you that you can't stay at your friend's house for some reason and you lie to them by telling them that you have to stay after school for some project but you actually go to a friends house. Then it's not really acceptable to lie in this situation because you see your friends almost everyday and compared to telling a lie in a near death situation then it is acceptable.

Lying is justified when it can be used to protect and care for others. What if someone had an ugly dress but you like it but that person does like it.you have to tell them it’s ugly so you don’t hurt them more if their going to a dance or on a date. The person that liked it is going to get their emotions hurt because of you and the dress. The person that she’s dancing with or going on a date with might not like the dress. It was ok to