Author Jonathon Swift said, “A lie does not consist in the indirect position of words, but in the desire and intention, by false speaking, to deceive and injure your neighbor.” One of the Four Agreements is to be impeccable with your word. “I detest the man who hides one thing in the depth of his heart and speaks forth another,” was the sentiment of Homer (not Simpson). From ancient China is the maxim, “A bad word worshipped will echo a hundred miles.”
From ancient sources the world over are quotes valuing honesty and straightforward talk over dissemination and untruths. The story about George Washington as a youth saying “I cannot tell a lie” about the chopped down cherry tree might not be historically accurate, but instead a strong moral lesson. So it endures. Societies seem to value honesty to keep its engines running smoothly because we create legislation and penalties for dishonesty.
The dictionary says a lie is “an intentionally false statement.” Exaggerations, misleading statements, half-truths all indicate transfer of inaccurate information. Someone wanting to mislead others might employ any or all lying strategies.
However, lying might or might not have serious lifelong consequences depending on who a person lies to or if anyone cares. Being caught in a lie to a family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker, etc., creates an awkward predicament. Lying to a police officer is a bad plan because there is no constitutional freedom for lying to police like there is for remaining silent, and the severity of the fine would depend on circumstances.
Lying to a judge could be worse and the penalties increase if a case proceeded higher in the courts… all for lying. According to CriminalDefense Lawyer.com, “A person convicted of perjury under federal law may face up to five years in prison and fines. The punishment for perjury under state law varies from state to state, but perjury is a felony and carries a possible prison sentence of at least one year, plus fines and probation.”
Any public figure caught lying generally loses credibility. On the other hand, a person who lies with impunity might have no reason to stop.
Researcher Tim Levine said, “We all lie, but not all lies are the same.” Author Yudhijit Bhattacharjee in Why We Lie points out historic evidence that indicates lying has accompanied us throughout our evolution. Examples are quotes from the Old Testament such as Proverbs 12:22 which states, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy,” and Proverbs 17:7, “Excellent speech becometh not a fool, much less do lying lips a prince.”
Bhattacharjee claimed, “The lies that impostors, swindlers, and boasting politicians tell merely sit at the apex of a pyramid of untruths that have characterized human behavior for eons.” His four main reasons for lying are: cover up a mistake, gain financial benefits, gain a personal advantage and escape or avoid other people. Other reasons included creating a positive image or following social mores, but some lie to embrace fantasy over reality or to hurt others.
Even though lying is part of the fabric of being human, our society has overwhelmingly denounced and stigmatized lying by chastising, fining or imprisoning those who lie. Nancy Farmer had this observation in The House of the Scorpion, “I always say the truth is best even when we find it unpleasant. Any rat in a sewer can lie. It’s how rats are. It’s what makes them rats. But a human doesn’t run and hide in dark places because he’s something more. Lying is the most personal act of cowardice there is.”
Nevertheless, in her article, “6 Subtle Characteristics of a Pathological Liar,” Tamara Hill states, “The very fact that a lie could be found out does not affect the pathological liar. They have an inability to consider the consequences or even fear being found out. It’s as if the pathological liar believes they are smarter than everyone and will never be found out.”
Mark Twain knew better. He said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
History is littered with infamous liars:
- Adolf Hitler seized on the anti-Semitism of the early 1930s with Joseph Goebbels shouting at rallies over and over that Jews were their enemies. His philosophy was if you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently, it would be believed. He perpetuated false claims about Jews to stir up the anti-Semitism, and it worked for a while.
- James W. Johnston was CEO of RJR Nabisco tobacco operations in 1996. He appeared with other industry representatives before the House Health and Environment Subcommittee to refute claims that the nicotine in cigarettes posed a health threat to smokers. He reportedly stated, “Cigarette smoking is no more addictive than coffee, tea or Twinkies.” It is documented the tobacco industry knew since at least the mid-1950s nicotine was addictive and carcinogenic.
- Bernie Madoff lied to cheat people out of their money. He called his investment scam, “just one big lie.” He admitted that over a 10-year span, he bamboozled $50 billion from trusting investors.
- President Richard Nixon denied he knew anything about the Watergate break-in in 1972. He declared, “I am not a crook,” but tapes subsequently revealed he knew more than he had admitted. His other achievements as president are remembered less because for many years he was considered our most corrupt president.
- Regarding a scandal during his presidency, Bill Clinton lied under oath, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman,” which was perjury and grounds for impeachment. Has anyone forgotten he lied? He and his wife have a foundation that does wonderful work around the world, but his lie does not die.
- Our nation went to war in Iraq because we were told Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had stashed weapons of mass destruction in secret locations around his country. No one has discovered them yet. Did someone lie or just use really unreliable information to start a war?
- Cyclist Lance Armstrong lied about doping.
- Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte lied to avoid legal trouble in Brazil.
Johann Ludwig von Goethe stated, “There is nothing in the world more shameful than establishing one’s self on lies and fables,” but folks do it anyway because apparently they cannot get what they want with the truth.
Friedrich Nietzsche stated, “I’m not upset you lied to me. I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.” But, as Yogi Berra pointed out, “Half the lies they tell about me aren’t true.”