When it comes to truth and lies, there is usually a thin line where things go gray. This is because not everything is black and white; there are instances where certain rigid rules will not be followed because, if they are, there could be consequences. There are moments to lie, and also moments to tell the truth. In the end, what matters the most is how excusable the lie is and if you’ll ever get to tell the truth.
If you lose your job, and you’re feeling sad about it, your child notices your countenance and questions you on it. You could tell them that everything is fine and you’re simply in your feelings, even though nothing is fine and you have no idea where your next meal might come from. You just don’t want him to worry. Telling him straight up that you’ve lost your job will most likely put him in a place where he has to imagine all the ways that things could go wrong with no source of livelihood.
So yeah, there might be time to tell lies, and at every other time, it’s best you go with the truth. When it’s a lie told to protect, it’s permissible. But when it’s a lie told strictly to deceive and take advantage of the other person, then you have a problem. Because the only person who will gain from such an act is you, and it’s just cruel because many times, people in this situation end up getting hurt.
And with the first definition and examples I gave, we have the fundamentals of white lies. Their revelation might not have disastrous consequences, but it could hurt the people involved. It’s just like lying that you enjoy the food your woman cooks when, in actuality, you don’t like it at all. You only say that to make her happy. If she finds out you’ve been lying about that, she will be hurt, but it will never be enough to break up the relationship. But then, a deliberate lie, like telling her you want to see the mechanic when you’re actually going to see a female friend, its discovery will not only hurt her, but also serve as a reason to destroy the relationship.
So, you see? While one is designed to protect the interests of others, the other simply serves to deceive and trick whoever the lie is being told to. And should it be abolished altogether? I don’t think so. White lies protect many people from having heart attacks and high blood pressure. It also helps bearers of bad news ease their way into the telling, in a way that the recipient can handle it without going off the lid. This is an important part of society, and it’s up to us as individuals to uphold our morals and ethics and be honest with ourselves as we ask, "Who exactly is benefiting from the lies we tell?"
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