With political lies running rampant, misinformation rife, and AI fueling deception in the classroom, the questions arise: What is truth? And why is it important to know what is true? Frankly, most people agree that objective reality is the truth, that is, what we learn directly through our senses. Truth also includes generally accepted legal opinions and scientific research, as well as judgments, propositions and ideas that have been validated. Truth is essentially facts with a few exceptions such as religious beliefs (mainly based on beliefs) and emotional/psychological states.
As for the importance of knowing what is true, it is vital to our understanding of reality, our common sense. When we are surrounded by false beliefs parading around as truths, we find ourselves in confusing territory. We don’t know what to believe or what to do. Big lies masquerading as the truth baffle us and leave us fearful and disturbed. Also, conflicting signals, that is, words that are inconsistent with nonverbal behavior, create uncertainty. For example, a friend may deny that he has been drinking, but the smell of alcohol on his breath tells a completely different story – with more validity than his words.
While a decision about a friend’s drunkenness may seem trivial, there are other situations where believing someone’s words is extremely important. For example, hiring someone for a position of responsibility, choosing a roommate, or entering into a committed relationship with a romantic partner are situations where trust is crucial.
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We may be mistaken about other people’s honesty, but once we discover their lies, it is difficult to trust them again. We are not programmed to trust chronic liars. When we notice that someone is being dishonest, we usually withdraw from the relationship temporarily or permanently. But if we become blinded by misinformation or our own unrealistic desires and end up believing the lies, then we must ignore the contradictions, rationalize the liar’s behavior, and get lost in an alternate universe.
Lying can be extremely dangerous, both for the recipients and the perpetrators. Riots and wars have been fueled and perpetuated by lies. Furthermore, when individuals believe harmful lies and act on them, they are likely to engage in destructive behavior. For example, if a person thinks that another person is angry and likely to be aggressive, he/she may strike preemptively, even if there is no real danger. Mistaken identity, accidental and impulsive shootings fall into this category.
For liars, guilt and fear can become recurring bedfellows. Normally, a liar who believes lying is wrong will feel guilty about big lies and fear being discovered, shamed, and/or punished. The nonverbal behavior of an occasional liar who is uncomfortable with lying includes an avoidant look, change in pitch, and/or interrupting speech.
Why do people lie?
Young children lie primarily to avoid punishment for perceived disobedience and are remarkably clumsy at concealing their lies. It is common to blame the dog or sibling for a broken vase. Young children show the same signs of lying as adults, except with more transparency and exaggeration. Their blushing, verbal hesitations, and general clumsiness are telltale signs that they are not telling the truth.
As we get older, we become more skilled at hiding lies. In fact, certain personality disorders (e.g., antisocial disorders, narcissistic personality disorders) can “lie with a straight face”; they are so good at lying that it is almost impossible to discern their dishonesty. Gaslighting, a serious form of cheating, involves manipulation and emotional abuse, causing the victim to doubt her sanity and self-worth.
Less serious lies, that is, white lies intended to improve one’s status or reputation, are attempts to impress others. By exaggerating his/her achievements, the liar tries to hide his/her shortcomings by portraying himself/herself as more talented, intelligent, athletic, successful, or richer than he/she is. Underlying a boastful attitude is a low self-esteem that longs for recognition, even if it is negative.
Deception essential reading
People also lie to avoid hating you; they want to belong. So instead of giving an honest opinion on a controversial topic, they avoid saying anything or agreeing with the prevailing ideas circling in their midst. “White lies” designed to increase someone’s sympathy or avoid hurting someone else’s feelings, such as “No, you don’t look fat in that dress” or “That was a great bargain” ( while the reality is far from that), are usually based on benign intentions and are unlikely to cause interpersonal harm. It is the big lies that matter most in terms of their impact on individuals, communities and nations.
In summary
Although our noses will not grow as long as Pinocchio’s if we lie, lying affects our reality and depletes our internal resources. At the national level, it contributes to polarization and destroys the social fabric of communities, where trust and cooperation are needed to achieve common goals.
On a personal level, our sense of security and fear are affected by misinformation. We don’t know who or what we can trust and that makes us feel unsafe. Furthermore, when we don’t have all the facts, we tend to make bad decisions. For example, if a fire is out of control or a hurricane is approaching, we need to know all the details about the impending disaster before we can act wisely. Likewise, in psychological decisions about trust and security, we need facts, not fantasies.
As for chronic liars, they spend a lot of psychological energy keeping their lies secret and creating alternate realities. As a result, they may be less effective socially and professionally than if they operated with more integrity and authenticity.
A recent study of college students found that daily liars exhibit worse grades, quality of life, and self-esteem than non-daily liars. Although it is not clear which came first—frequent lying or negative academic, social, and family functioning—chronic lying has been associated with personality disorders, especially those related to impulsiveness, manipulative behavior, and the inability to cope. to learn the past. Clearly, more research needs to be done to investigate the causes, links, and consequences of chronic lying.
In the meantime, we must expose serious lies in our personal, social and professional lives to prevent further erosion of the truth. Yelling like we did in childhood: “Liar, liar, your pants are on fire” – won’t do much. Instead, we must rely on fact-checkers, religious leaders and journalists to uncover the truth. Parents and teachers are also crucial in limiting their children’s access to social media and refusing to tolerate lies.
Since social media is the most common provider of disinformation, it is important to verify the authenticity of the resulting information on social media platforms on reliable sites. Without the truth, we can feel like we are floating in choppy waters without any navigational aids. Although “the truth will not set us free,” the truth will enable us to live without unnecessary fear, confusion, or mistrust, and make better life decisions in the process.
