Lying

Is lying ever justified? Sounds GP-ish, but it's a question that I find very pertinent to our everyday lives (much more so than say, euthanasia or abortion). People lie for many reasons - to get themselves out of trouble, to get others into trouble, to get what they want, etc. etc. There are the dark lies, as well as the white ones. Some are probably greyish, in various shades.

What sparked this post are the recent events that happened to/around me.

As some of you might know, I lost my 11B and camp pass, which earned me extras for telling the truth - that I lost it due to my own negligence (left them in the cab). I could very well have claimed that someone stole my wallet along with the cards, and escaped from the extras. But I didn't. In retrospect, I am still ambivalent about that decision, because extras (=weekend guard duty) aren't exactly a great way to burn weekends. But at the same time, honesty and integrity are principles that I felt obliged to abide by. I should take responsibility for my own error. Oh well, it's too late to regret now anw. =(

Another thing is interviews/essays. There are many occasions when you know that the only way to get pass that interview is to paint a not-so-true picture of yourself. There is just the pressure to exaggerate your accomplishments, tell a tall story ("tell us about an occasion when you..."), or lie about your preferences ("do you prefer us to other scholarship boards?") because you know the truth would inevitably prove "fatal" and every one else (I dare say 95%) would be doing it even if you don't. I must say that I have been as truthful as I can be on most occasions, and that actually proved costly. Which made me rethink: Should such untruths qualify as "white" lies? Considering what was at stake (very much one's long-term future), I guess I would choose to lie if given a second chance. Afterall, I ain't a saint, and if a small lie can get me where I really want without harming someone else, or get a upper hand on another less worthy liar (i.e. someone who have been chosen over me despite being inferior only because he/she lied and I didn't), I don't see why not.

Sometimes, people lie just so not to hurt the feelings of others. Tact in word and deed is of course important, but I actually prefer those who are truthful, or even blunt. If you don't like me, say so. If you think I'm doing something wrong, tell me. Although the truth might not be what I want to hear, at least it's better than sheer hypocrisy or self-perceived considerateness. I don't like to live in self-delusion. True friends don't lie to one another, barring exceptional circumstances (e.g. matters relating to life and death).

There are too many scheming people in this world, and lying is probably one of the ways to save your own arse. As long as you don't carry it too far, or harm someone else, lying is just part and parcel of the imperfect nature of Homo sapiens, IMHO. You didn't need to be taught how to lie, did you? It's merely part of our intrinsic self-defence mechanism/ survival instinct, if you ask me. At the end of the day, who hasn't lied before?