What is a lie and why people are lying?

All people are lying, the tendency to say not the truth inherent in all nature and primarily stems from the desire to protect yourself, to create a better life – even the hare is a grey in the summer and white in the winter in order to fool the wolf. Lies and fantasies is the children’s stage of development, but it can also mean lack of confidence in yourself. Both children and adult, who are confident, do not need to embellish the truth about themselves and loved ones.

First of all, it should be identified what we call a lie. If the lie is only a conscious, planned fraud to deceive the other, the percent would decrease. But if we assume a lie that also is used of the concern for themselves or others, the numbers would increase.

Often people do not even realize that lying, not telling the truth. So what is a lie? If we say that this is not true telling, the deceit of human, it is important to look out is this done intentionally or unintentionally. Because if quite inadvertently, it is difficult to call it a lie. It can be very conscious, semi-conscious and lie without perceiving.

To keep silence is also considered to be a lie, if deliberately keep silent, for selfish purposes. If the other person can wrong understand the silence, it is a lie. Of course, usually people do not say all what comes to their mind, if this is not the topic. Then it’s not a lie.

Reasons of lie are important, but whether a person who lied feel good or bad, depending on his personality, character, morals, values, psychological maturity. There are people who feel good after saying lie – strong, shrewd, and cunning. Other people, even after white lie, can feel very ill and almost ran to confession three times a day.

I think that people differ in what they consider and what not consider as lie. The same thing for one would be a lie, for others – not. The reasons and motives why people lie are very different. But I think that all people are lying. Nature of the lie lies in the self-protection. Maybe it is not right to say that lie exist in our instincts or appeared with the language, but efforts to protect themselves, to deceive are quite characteristic to all environments.

In nature, all living beings have survival instinct, humans as well. So self-protection, own welfare protection, the creation of a better life are the basic motives of lie. One of the motives may be a desire to distance themselves from other people’s interference and control. Sometimes people lie to improve, enhance their image. For example, coming to the job interview, creating resume. There is a lot of desire to seem better in personal relationships. People also lie seeking the power, for the consolidation of the position, expansion of the sphere of influence. Also, while trying to avoid conflict or to protect themselves from the other person’s feelings and reactions.

Is there a white lie? When is it justified? I would say this is a difficult moral issue. Everyone should own answer does lie is permissible or not. In fact, even in children tales talk about how a person deceives the devil. To lie or deceive in any way the devil is not bad.

 

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