Lying forms an integral part of our society.
In politics, business, sport, religion and our personal lives.
For those of you who may not be familiar with the English language, I will define it simply:
‘A statement of deliberate untruth’
So to elaborate further, it means quite simply to intentionally deceive the listener in believing something that is wrong.
Why do we do it?
Fear of being punished for the consequences, especially if you are a child.
Intention of gaining a reward that is not merited.
Humour
Political aims (usually with the intention of self-aggrandizement or gaining power)
Types of lies?
Lies of commission – where we ‘make’ the lie
Lies of omission – where we use “silence” instead of making a clarifying statement and allow a person to believe a false situation. For example, when a person says “I am really glad that you have done your homework”. Then we do not say, “actually I have not completed it”; rather we just smile and leave the questioner under the misconception of the task having been completed.
The WHITE lie. This lie is used to keep things pleasant between parties, especially a husband and his wife. The famous question that is loaded with great danger and threatens the survival of the male; “Honey, does this dress make me look fat?” or “Honey, do these jeans make my butt look big?”. Those males who want to live long and happily KNOW that the white lie MAY be required.
The professional lie. Primarily used by marketers (heh heh), but also used by lawyers. However, I believe the higher your qualification, the greater your skill needs to be in using the lie.
My profession is that of an accountant. I have spent a great deal of time studying ethics in accounting. Volumes and volumes have been written about how to give assurances to the client of the auditor. These assurances need to be impartial and technically of a high standard. Would the profession of the auditor be needed if the lie was not an integral part of business?
The political lie. This needs a separate category. In South African politics, when do you know a politician is lying? The answer “when they open their mouths”. We have just lost our President Zuma and now have a new President. Everyone is very excited. I hope the new man does the job. I hope that we have not just exchanged a stupid crook for a clever crook. Only time will tell. But lying and corruption is colour-blind.
The current catch phrase is “fake news”. The old phrase was “propaganda”. Why the new word? Can’t Donald spell the old word? Anyway the man is a leader alright, is has become in vogue.
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So anything you don’t like is fake news. In South Africa, anything the current government doesn’t like is “racist”; if you criticise a Black Man you are racist! While there are strong undertones of racism in South Africa, all corruption and dishonesty are protected from investigation by this threat “racist”!
There are so many aspects to lying in politics and government. No longer do we have terrorist attacks when it does not suit us, the fellow was “mentally unstable”, he “didn’t know” what he was doing. When some people are killed it is a “massacre”, even when the numbers are less than ten. To my English, the word denotes a large number. So I guess Donald Trump is right, fake news abounds. I suppose it is inevitable when one sees the massive impact social media has. So truth must be a necessary casualty to “sway the masses”. The big billionaires know that media is key in our modern society and control is vital to their interests. Media can cause the toppling of governments and anarchy, behind the lies is POWER.
The Nuance lie. This is the lie that experts use, slight inflections of the face and the voice. The mingling of some lies with truth. Slight distortions and the STRAIGHT face with the EARNEST voice. Here you find spokesmen, lawyers, salesmen and politicians (being naughty I know, I even may be lying!?)
So lies abound.
In religion we see it all the time, personal gain seems to be a big motive, exploitation of the believer and their hopes. Bucks to me for your salvation. We had a tragedy here in South Africa recently. It all started when the media reported unknown gunmen entering a police station and gunning down all the police officers. Two of the police men were taken away and shot execution style in the back of the head. A total of 5 police officers and a retired soldier were killed. I remember thinking at the time, “who would hunt down and kill poor cops?”. The media has revealed an amazing story. The Mancoba Seven Angels Ministry is a church with a difference. Please look it up on the internet. It is more strange than fiction. Anyway these seven brothers are regarded as “angels” by their congregation. The congregation cashed up all policies, pensions, sold all their belongings and gave it to the church. These brothers bought expensive cars and never worked. It was also uncovered that they had more than 100 young and prepubescent girls locked up in ten tin shacks as sex slaves. These fellows believed that the cops were demons so they went to the Engcobo police station and killed them. Well needless to say the Police found the perpetrators and a massive gunfight ensued where seven cultists were killed and ten arrested. The congregation and the young girls are undergoing therapy to recover.
The greatest danger of lies is that the liar ends up believing their own lies. So the liar becomes a victim of their own dishonesty.
One of the greatest experts at propaganda was Josef Goebbels of the Nazi Party in Germany during the 1930’s and 1940’s. Hitler and his henchmen skilfully turned the resentment of post-World War One Germany into a war machine and commit genocide against millions of defenceless people. Hitler was a great believer in Darwinism and used its philosophy to exterminate and castrate all the mentally handicapped people whenever they were found. The purity of the Aryan race was to be maintained. Ironically the leaders of the Third Reich never looked at all like the perfect Aryan.
In our modern times, I am concerned as I see lies used as a justification for military industrialisation to expand in the big and powerful nations of the world. All armies are now titled “Defence Forces”. Their countries must be “defended” against the “enemy”. But the defence is taking place in foreign lands far from the homeland. The misery of countless defenceless civilians is shown on televisions across the globe. The numbers of refugees continue to multiply as the big nations “defend” themselves. There may be some truth to their claims but the majority of what is said is just a lie.
Lies lead to so much death and misery.
The poor continue to be exploited. The poor are those who are unskilled, untutored, ignorant and hungry. Yet their desires are no different to ours. They want to feed the families, have peace and stability, have opportunities to work and to education themselves and their children. Sadly, for the majority, all that life has to offer is an endless struggle to just live. Opportunities for improvement are as remote as the moon.
I like to lie with a straight face. My goals are humour, only humour. The quirking of the corners of my mouth tends to give me away, but I am working on it. I must be careful though, it is a dangerous path to follow.
Integrity and not expediency should be the objectives that we aim for. Our word should be our bond. I have caused financial hardship for my family when I have stuck to what I have promised, even when it seems stupid. I don’t have much else apart from my word though.
So where do we fit in?
Not easy to be different in a world such as ours.
thanks for sharing @fred703, I think lie is a part of our survival instincts, it can be use for offense or defense. :)
You have chosen an important topic today. Its main problem of our society. You have elaborated well in the blog. Good informative post. Thanks for sharing.
@originalworks
Отличная тема для поста .К сожалению Все мы лжецы, когда нам есть от этого польза. Спасибо за обмен.
Very interesting post., thank for share.
Wow !!
Great motivated post.....
We need to thinking about a time when we told a lie..
It is very important....
Wow..interesting post, thanks for sharing
Really different type of writing sir...i find it funny some places...😁 Thanks for sharing...👍
you know first thing that came in my mind is that big nose in first image.I also have a long nose :P just kidding but i have a long nose..by the way nice article
In my opinion, however that whose name lies is still wrong, because this is an act that is not commendable,
But at certain moments we have to lie to divorce the problem, it's like your article "the art of lying"
I agree with your post, there are many lies that can be described in life. But sometimes people often lie and hook it to lie for good, but in my opinion there is no lie for any thing
interesting articles, your post is very good that discusses about a person's personality, attitude and behavior. maybe this is all a lesson and experience to be applied daily. thanks for sharing.
@fred703
It is indeed a dilemma, and one we in today's day and age need to consider with even more detail, as we live in a world now filled with "Lies" of many forms. The saying: "I give you my word" almost means nothing for the most part, and you would be hard pressed to find people who still stick to their word.
My Dad was one of those individuals who stuck by his word no matter what, and every time I catch myself wanting to move from the truth and discard my integrity, I think of him and somehow I get right back in line, lol
We as a species need to "travel" back in time to a place where those words held it's meaning because at the end of the day without integrity what do we have left.
stay blessed and true to you.
I agree with you, there are number of peoples, who lair like,in politics, business, sport, government, religion and our personal, every person have own personality to grow in this world. Mostly lair in politics...
thankyOu Sir for your explanation
No offense but priest an politician are the good liar. Imagine they sell you a space in heaven and you buy it.
A totally different kind of post but interesting. Liers are everywhere especially in liers list Pakistani politicians are on number one 😂 and then government empliyess then doctors. The pictures used in this post are so interesting 😂
I never looked at lie before from these aspects..
you know its not always easy to lie i mean its like acting and acting is not always easy you will have to be sure
I find your humor appealing and extremely funny.
But the sad thing is it's true, this is such an indictment on our global society and a dangerous trait that is so deeply intrenched in our psyche.
And whats more its transparent. I dont understand how people cant see it.
Great article and subject, we live with it, and see it, and are affected by it day in and day out.
@fred703 what do you think about telling lying to make a depressed person happy for a short period of time .and in the way that person also know that he is just joking ?