Lying Shenanigans In what cases are we allowed and not allowed to lie? The four articles have very different stances when it comes to the topic of lying. Lying is acceptable when you aren’t breaking any laws or causing any harm. Lying is often a necessary part of life. Randy Cohen, a moral philosopher says “Not only is lying justified, it is sometimes a moral duty.” This shows that although some people don’t agree with lying it is still a vital part of our day to day lives. Lying can be the difference between a happy relationship or a ruined one. Article 1 states that Teresa Velin says that she didn’t want her friendship to be broken over a movie date, so she said that she was busy. If she had told the truth, she would risk losing a friend.
. .] I said I was busy,” (1-4). She then goes on to show how those lies not only did not incur immediate negative effects, but also proved somewhat beneficial to her and her family. By illustrating such a situation for the audience, Ericsson emphasizes the irrevocable role that lying plays in society while also initiating contemplation regarding the possible pros and cons of seemingly innocuous lying. Further on, as she deconstructs lying into specific categories, Ericsson provides contrast to her first anecdote with a narrative regarding a charlatan-esque friend who “seduced others into an illusion” that he was intelligent and trustworthy (11). In doing so, she introduces the audience to the position that lies have larger and more dangerous implications than they may have originally believed. Ericsson unseats her audience in order to make them question any preconceived concepts about lying they
A 64-year-old novelist, Stephanie Ericsson, does a great job explaining the reason and how people lie in her essay “The Ways We Lie.” Her essay is about different types of lies and the consequences of each type of lie which was first appeared in the Utne Reader as the cover article in January 1993. Initially, she seems to say lying is not a bad thing and it should be done in necessary times. However, she mentions different lies and where they should be used. According to Ericsson, people don’t realize how lying affects the lives of others (2). I, myself, consider Ericsson the best author I have ever seen. Thus, she uses first-person perspective and signifies that she is talking about herself in some cases. She targets an audience who are lying
In discussions on the topic of lying, a controversial issue has been whether there is justification of lying or not. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of if there is ever a time when a lie can be told for the good of someone else. Whereas some are convinced that lies should never be told, others agree that there are certain instances where lying is acceptable because the liar protects the one lied to. In the essay “The Ways We Lie” by Stephanie Ericsson, she explores the types of lies and how they affect everyday people. In Anton Chekhov’s fictional story, “The Lady with the Dog,” he displays two characters, Dmitri Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna, lying for love and to avoid consequence by their spouses. I stand against lying for the benefit of oneself because I think that it has the ability to ruin relationships or friendships and is hard to keep up the lies which leads to creating more lies. Although some people think that there are circumstances that warrant lying, I claim that no one should lie because lies end up hurting both people involved: the liar and the person lied to.
While explaining that lying helps in less than ideal situations, Damon details how untruths can “reassure” provide “compassion, [and] diplomacy”. Giving examples of where dishonesty has been not only the ethical choice but an “honorable
In the essay The Ways We Lie, author Stephanie Ericsson writes in depth about the different types of lies used by most people everyday. While listing examples of them, Ericsson questions her own experiences with lying and whether or not it was appropriate. By using hypothetical situations, true accounts, and personal occurrences, she highlights the moral conflicts and consequences that are a result of harmless fibs or impactful deceptions. In an essay detailing the lies told to ourselves and others, Ericsson points out one bold truth; everyone lies. Through her writing, Ericsson causes the reader to look into how they’ve lied in the past and how to effects others and the general greater good of society.
“The Ways We Lie” is an essay written by Stephanie Ericsson, first published in the Utne Reader in 1993. The Utne Reader is an American magazine that publishes pieces from alternative media sources. However, the essay was mostly directed toward people who have told a lie at least once in their life and have may have felt guilty about it. The purpose for the piece was developed using original syntax, logical appeals, and descriptive tropes, the purpose being that one should think twice before telling a lie.
We are told from a very young that we should tell the truth, and that lying is wrong; an immoral action which we should not engage in. Yet lying is a large part of daily life, whether it be our lying to others or others lying to us, around us, or lying in ways that affect our lives. Oftentimes, the lies we tell are for social gain; for the purposes of esteem, affection, or respect. We lie as a way to manage others impressions of us. Studies have found that women are generally more intimate in their interactions, which would suggest that they lie less. However, might women lie more to benefit others, as opposed to self-centered lies? A study by DePaul et al. (1996) set out to answers questions about the frequency of lying, types of lies told,
In today’s American society, lying has become something that we are accustomed to using almost every day without even realizing it. In “The Ways We Lie”, Stephanie Ericsson, screenwriter, advertising copywriter, and writer, elaborates on the act of lying and how it is used by everyone on a daily basis. She comes up with a list of the common, different kinds of lies that we all have told. Furthermore, the text goes in depth about the significance of lying and how it is an essential part of every human’s life. Ericsson’s essay effectively conveys this idea through the use of pathos, logos, ethos, personal examples, rhetorical questions, and analogies which helps the reader better understand the reasoning behind lies and how it affects our
In Anton Chekhov's “The Lady with the Dog” cheating and lying are revealed through the perspective of two characters in love both cheating on their spouses. Judith Viorst’s “The Truth About Lying” analyzes the small white lies people use in their daily lives. Although most people people frown upon telling lies of any size, I believe small white lies aid in maintaining relationships and shielding from awkward encounters such as if a dress makes someone look fat, thereby enhancing the quality of our day-to-day experiences by smoothing out areas of conversation people do not wish to find themselves in. Without these small white lies, even the simplest conversations such as cashier transactions could turn into rough patches we have to trek through.
Lying is sometimes Ok in some conditions.Sometimes its urgent to lie because you dont want to hurt anyones feelings.An example of trying not to hurt anyones feelings would be Ex:(Michell):Do I look fat in this dress?Then cristina says(Cristina)No you look nice dont worry about anything.She said that because she knew if it would hurt Michells feelings if she told her the truth.Another example is that Rebecca Campbell didnt want to tell her son there was going to be cartoons on
“Many people, perhaps a majority, approve of telling lies to employers, co-workers, customers, or clients. Is it ethical to tell lies of this sort? Begin by considering the following situations: (a) a doctor tells a patient he has consulted with a colleague about her condition, though no such consultation occurred;(b) Abusiness executive tells a client that she was tied up in traffic when she really lingered over lunch with friends;(c) a composition teacher tells a student he is making progress in his writing when, in fact, the student is showing no progress”
If lying was a crime we would all be in jail. We would all be in jail for many many years. In life we come across many situations which puts us in tight corners. When we are faced with such situations, lying is sometimes the only way out. Every single person in the world has told a lie. Lying is just something that’s part of everyone's life. Some people think that it is permissible to tell a lie because they want to protect people or others feelings. As I see it, lying is not always causing harm, it’s sometimes justified.
Furthermore, every individual has had their moments where they had been deceptive or ambiguous. Lying is a miserable action that we as human beings tend to make. The truth is the one that leads us in the right road; however, we have to admit that nowadays we tell “white lies” to each other almost every day. No matter if we want to leave the impression of being more sensitive about someone’s feelings, or to show more ‘respect’ to one another.
Who lies? From mothers to fathers, children to brothers and sisters, everybody lies. In a few interviews of the college students in the University of Dayton, the results of inquiries about why lying is bad, proved inconclusive. Many people believe that there is a distinction between being dishonest and telling lies. Yet, at the root of the problem is the lack of understanding that there is
Lying is necessary to maintain positive relationships. Society condones lying when our intentions are to preserve the feelings of others.