If lying is bad why do people do it?

Answer 1

Arguably, not all lies are bad. Sometimes they are seen as more of a social lubricant, and at other times, they can sometimes prevent harm to others. Here are the typical reasons that people lie:

1. To escape the consequences of their actions. They may fear their spouse finding out about an affair, or maybe they committed a very serious crime and don't want to go to prison.

2. To get along with others. Sometimes, it is easier to lie than to risk offending someone. For instance, is there ever a correct way to answer the question about whether a particular dress makes a woman look fat? She is not asking out of a desire to get the truth. She already believes she is fat or she wouldn't be asking it. Instead, she is likely pitching for a compliment or reassurance. Or if someone's clothes are ugly, and they ask, it may be easier to just say, "Well, you do have interesting tastes." If a business competitor asks how well you are doing, a good standard answer is, "Surprising." That is a bit evasive and ambiguous, since it could be surprisingly well or surprisingly bad.

3. For the presumed good of others. For instance, a policeman may lie when someone asks over the phone if a family member died. The reason they would lie would be to keep the person from harming themselves or risking the lives of others. They might drive wildly to the hospital. But telling them their family member is injured will make them less likely to get in a wreck themselves on the way to the hospital. Then at the scene, the officer can tell the truth.

4. To get out of a dangerous situation. You might have to assure an unstable person that you did or didn't do certain things, even if what you are telling them is deceptive, just to get out of the situation alive. Then that will buy time to get away or to contact the police. When dealing with the mentally ill, you might have to play along with some of their wild accusations, maybe even apologize for doing what you didn't do, all just to help them deescalate.

5. To catch liars or wrongdoers. For instance, if a confronted cheating spouse says they were at the movies, you might ask them to tell you about the wreck in front of the theater. If they have a ready answer, then they likely are telling the truth. However, if they stall, stammer, and perhaps are unable to look you in the eye, then you know they are lying. The police also lie to suspects, and being an undercover agent is a type of lying because they are not actually one of the criminals they are trying to help build a case against.

6. To be noble or modest. A mother might lie about being hungry or her food preferences so the kids won't feel guilty taking the last piece of dessert. Or a person might lie about a kind deed they did or give the credit to another just to keep the focus off of themselves.

7. To get others in trouble. Sometimes people lie out of revenge or maliciousness. So they make up something or claim they saw something they didn't.

8. Practical jokes and entertainment. Playing a trick on someone is, in essence, a form of lying. If you tell someone the sky is green, they will likely look, particularly if your tale is convincing enough. Even acting is a lie, since if you dress up as a police officer in a television show, you are still not an actual police officer.

9. To commit acts of fraud or other criminal acts. Scam artists lie to try to con you into giving them your money. Or a hacker may call up someone, spin a story about being a maintenance technician, and needing their password to access the system. But they are not even related to the company nor a technician of any sort. A similar example is phishing. That is when someone passes as someone you trust to try to trick you into giving them personal information, passwords, and financial details. From there, they may steal your money or your identification.

Answer 2

Lying is not necessarily bad. It is a requirement in some circumstances, in others it is a kindness.