Let the record show that Jim Halpert is a liar!
Lying is a weird thing. We're taught as children that it's wrong to lie yet we still do it. Lying is such a grey area. Some people say that withholding information is not lying, others say that white lies are not actual lies.
Dictionary.com defines lie as thus:
–noun
1. a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.
2. something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture: His flashy car was a lie that deceived no one.
3. an inaccurate or false statement.
4. the charge or accusation of lying: He flung the lie back at his accusers.
–verb (used without object)
5. to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive.
6. to express what is false; convey a false impression.
–verb (used with object)
7. to bring about or affect by lying (often used reflexively): to lie oneself out of a difficulty; accustomed to lying his way out of difficulties.
In other words, if it isn't true then it is a lie. Withholding information is a lie by the definition number two. When you withhold information, you are lying by omission, you are allowing someone to believe one thing because you are not giving them the information required to come to the correct conclusion. You are giving them a false impression.
It hurts to be lied to. Always. Even if you know the lie was for your own good it still hurts. This is not to say people shouldn't lie to protect other people, sometimes you should and sometimes you shouldn't. Sometimes by lying to protect a person you are doing them a disservice. Sure, you don't want to hurt them but sometimes people have to be hurt to learn. This is why it's such a grey area. Whether or not to tell the truth is a hard decision to make sometimes.
People lie to their friends all the time. I really don't believe anyone who says they never lie. I believe people when they say they try and avoid lying but not when they say they NEVER lie. C'mon, we all do it! I can think of 3 different lies various friends have told me in the last little while. I haven't told any of them that I know they lied. The reason I haven't said anything? Because I can see why they did it. Sure, it hurts me that they lied. All three times, when I discovered that I had been lied to I felt upset that they didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. But, it didn't take long to realise why they didn't and the reasons I came up with were acceptable enough that I haven't said anything. And I won't say anything. I guess, by not telling them I know they lied, I'm lying right back. But, it seems like the right thing to do. Being called out as a liar feels as bad as being lied to! (heh I wonder how many friends are going to confess something to me after reading this thinking I was talking about a lie they have told me.
I think lying becomes bad when the lie is pointless or when it will hurt someone. I've known some people who seem to lie just for the sake of lying; lie to make themselves look better than they actually are and to impress people; lie because it amuses them. I consider these reasons pointless and in these cases consider lying a bad thing. When it hurts someone, anyone, even the person telling the lie, then it is bad. That's where my line is drawn. But it sure is a tough call to make. share this: facebook
Dictionary.com defines lie as thus:
–noun
1. a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.
2. something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture: His flashy car was a lie that deceived no one.
3. an inaccurate or false statement.
4. the charge or accusation of lying: He flung the lie back at his accusers.
–verb (used without object)
5. to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive.
6. to express what is false; convey a false impression.
–verb (used with object)
7. to bring about or affect by lying (often used reflexively): to lie oneself out of a difficulty; accustomed to lying his way out of difficulties.
In other words, if it isn't true then it is a lie. Withholding information is a lie by the definition number two. When you withhold information, you are lying by omission, you are allowing someone to believe one thing because you are not giving them the information required to come to the correct conclusion. You are giving them a false impression.
It hurts to be lied to. Always. Even if you know the lie was for your own good it still hurts. This is not to say people shouldn't lie to protect other people, sometimes you should and sometimes you shouldn't. Sometimes by lying to protect a person you are doing them a disservice. Sure, you don't want to hurt them but sometimes people have to be hurt to learn. This is why it's such a grey area. Whether or not to tell the truth is a hard decision to make sometimes.
People lie to their friends all the time. I really don't believe anyone who says they never lie. I believe people when they say they try and avoid lying but not when they say they NEVER lie. C'mon, we all do it! I can think of 3 different lies various friends have told me in the last little while. I haven't told any of them that I know they lied. The reason I haven't said anything? Because I can see why they did it. Sure, it hurts me that they lied. All three times, when I discovered that I had been lied to I felt upset that they didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. But, it didn't take long to realise why they didn't and the reasons I came up with were acceptable enough that I haven't said anything. And I won't say anything. I guess, by not telling them I know they lied, I'm lying right back. But, it seems like the right thing to do. Being called out as a liar feels as bad as being lied to! (heh I wonder how many friends are going to confess something to me after reading this thinking I was talking about a lie they have told me.
I think lying becomes bad when the lie is pointless or when it will hurt someone. I've known some people who seem to lie just for the sake of lying; lie to make themselves look better than they actually are and to impress people; lie because it amuses them. I consider these reasons pointless and in these cases consider lying a bad thing. When it hurts someone, anyone, even the person telling the lie, then it is bad. That's where my line is drawn. But it sure is a tough call to make. share this: facebook
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on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 at 5:48 PM.
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