Viswanathan K's Thoughts

Everybody tells white lies. We usually don’t feel bad or guilty about them. But do we have the right to lie ? The question is rooted in free speech. If everyone has the right to free speech, does that also include the right to lie? Outside of committing perjury, that is. An America judge, Judge Kozinski, spoke very well about this: “Saints may always tell the truth, but for mortals living means lying. We lie to protect our privacy ("No, I don't live around here"); to avoid hurt feelings ("Friday is my study night"); to make others feel better ("Gee you've gotten skinny"); to avoid recriminations ("I only lost $10 at poker"); to prevent grief ("The doc says you're getting better"); to maintain domestic tranquility ("She’s just a friend"); to avoid social stigma ("I just haven't met the right woman"); for career advancement ("I'm sooo lucky to have a smart boss like you"); to avoid...

Before I start, let me state that this blog isn’t to justify or encourage lieing. That said, let me proceed. When disgusted with the repeated deception and lies of certain people, many people often wonder whether that bunch totally lacks any sense of right and wrong. But let’s face it: most people aren’t that amoral or immoral. So why then do they still lie? Part of the answer is in these lines from Grey’s Anatomy : “No matter how hard we try to ignore or deny it, eventually the lies fall away, whether we like it or not. But here’s the truth about the truth: It hurts. So we lie.” That’s certainly true: faced with the choice between doing what’s right and what’s easy, people often take the easy way. Now step back and you’ll notice that the phrase doesn’t say “what’s right and what’s wrong ”, instead it says “what’s right and what’s easy ”. And that is the key: very few say to themselves, “I am going to lie”. Usually, they’re taking the easy way out when they lie. So...