Hello, mi neighbour! | The truth abou t lying

, Would you consider yourself a liar? What if you often minimise the truth to avoid hurting someone’s feelings? After all, you are not like those who practise malicious lies with the intention of hurting others. Persons who practise ‘grey lies’ do so to avoid conflict or to achieve a particular objective. Are you such a person? What if you are trying to create an impression by withholding important information or making statements that are partially true? Guilty? What about stretching the truth to make your point more exciting or impressive? Would that make you a liar? Or would you say that that is part of what they call ‘working smart’? Be careful about being ‘smart’!

Pause here with me for a short story exactly as I heard it: A doctor, a lawyer, a little boy, and a priest were flying on a small private plane. Suddenly, the plane developed engine trouble. Despite the best efforts of the pilot, the plane started to go down. Finally, the pilot grabbed a parachute and yelled to the passengers that they better jump, and he bailed out. Unfortunately, only three parachutes were remaining. The doctor grabbed one of the parachutes and said, “I’m a doctor. I save lives, so I must live to save other’s lives,” and jumped out.

The lawyer then said, “I’m a lawyer, and lawyers are the smartest people in the world. Therefore, I deserve to live.” He also grabbed a parachute and jumped. The priest looked at the little boy and said, “My son, I’ve lived a long and full life. You are young and have your whole life ahead of you. So take the last parachute and live in peace.”

SMARTEST MAN IN THE WORLD

The little boy handed the parachute back to the priest and said: “Do not worry, Father. The smartest man in the world just took off with my backpack.” Hope you got the message, especially if you lie to appear smart.

Let’s continue! You would agree that people who go around making up stories or sharing information not based on reality, in reality, are liars. Truth be told, these persons are categorised with those who refuse to admit the truth even in the face of clear evidence! Where would you place those neighbours who constantly downplay the severity of a situation to avoid taking responsibility or face certain consequences? Would you lump them with those so-called friends who constantly divert attention from the truth, by changing the subject or blaming others?

One would argue that the concept of lying is quite a complex one and that no one can avoid telling lies from time to time. It is believed that lying is not just the act of deception but also an act of protection/self-preservation. So there are ethical considerations surrounding lying, eenh? Some believe that those who use lying as a tool for self-preservation or an escape route from bitter conflicts should not be seen as liars but as ‘savers-of-the-day’, and the real liars are those who use lies for manipulation! What do you think?

FEELINGS OF INADEQUACY

The impact of lying can range from minor inconveniences to significant damage to relationships and trust. Trust is a fundamental aspect of any relationship, and lying can erode that trust, leading to conflict and even the breakdown of the relationship. Lying can create guilt, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy in the liar as well as distress for the person lied to.

Maintaining lies requires consistent effort to make them look like truth and can surely be mentally taxing. Not necessarily speaking from experience here ... . Lying raises ethical questions about honesty, integrity, and the importance of truthfulness. Would you trust a liar?

The truth about lies is that:

* People lie for various reasons, including fear of consequences, desire for personal gain

· Lies in others can be easily spotted by observing inconsistencies in their story, body language, or excessive defensiveness.

· Lying is a part of our sinful nature and is often learned through social interactions, and even if one has pathological lying tendencies, those can be treated.

Whether lies are black, white, or blue, etc, “lying lips are an abomination onto the Lord”, and they attract heavy penalties for now and eternity.

Your time to do some homework.

HELP A NEIGHBOUR WITH AN ITEM FROM BELOW

Food, building materials, accommodation, cash to start a small business, etc.

To help, please call Silton Townsend @ 876 649-9636 or 876 884-3866; email: helloneighbour@yahoo.com. Visit hellomineighbourja.blogspot.com. Townsend exclusively manages the collections and distributions mentioned in this column and is neither an employee nor an agent of The Gleaner.