Why Lie?

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave / When first we practice to deceive" -- Sir Walter Scott

For the year so far, I've met one too many liars than I would like to have come into association with. I've come to realise that liars are persons who tend to have a lot of drama surrounding them and have a tendency to cry over small situations. So after feeling a great deal of negative emotions over the past few days, I decided to educate myself somewhat.

From what I've gathered, liars are developed from early childhood in situations where children realise that lying gives better results and fewer punishments. Children also lie if they realise that the untruths they talk about will get them the attention they crave for or even when adults tell them to lie to others (but children cannot yet register the reason for it). There are a number of other small reasons but those tend to be the larger ones.

There are many types of liars and quite a few types of lies. The two main types of liars that have the most major effect on others around them are pathologic liars and compulsive liars.

Pathological liars are often defined as persons who lie incessantly in order to get their way, doing so with little to no concern for any others. Pathological lying is viewed as a coping mechanism and is often associated with some other mental health disorder. These liars tend to be goal-oriented and tend to come off as manipulative, cunning and self-centered.

Compulsive liars are defined as persons who merely lie out of habit. These lies are a normal and reflexive way to answer questions and bend truths about all situations, whether large or small. Compulsive liars are developed during early childhood in an environment where lying was seen as necessary. Unlike pathological liars, compulsive liars are not seen as manipulative or cunning as they merely lie out of habit. This habit is one that is extremely difficult to break and takes a toll on relationships. Habitual and chronic liars are the same as compulsive liars.

As previously mentioned, there are a great many different types of lies, each generated to fit particular situations. A few types of lies are:

• White lie - this are usually small lies that benefit the person who hears the lie.
• Bold-face/bald-face/bare-face lie - this are telling lies when the evidence is obvious.
• Omission - this is telling the truth to a certain extent, purposefully leaving out important facts, leaving the listener with misconceptions.
• Exaggeration - this lie is told where the fundamental facts of the statement are true but only to a certain extent.
• Contextual lie - this type of lie is stating the truth but a certain part is said out of context and, without complete information, supplies a false impression.
• Noble lie - this type of lie often benefits the persons telling as well as potentially benefits the party hearing the lie.

The common saying "All is fair in love and war" is more a less a way to justify the use of lies during times of hardships, isn't it? War is not merely a battlefield filled with weapons, but words and deception as well. Isn't that how it is? Hmmm...

I personally, have little to no tolerance for liars once I've discovered the lies and deception and I can say that I'm relatively sure I've met both a pathological and compulsive liar. It's really displeasing. Honesty is something that I value to a great degree. And as I appreciate those who do not lie to me, I do not lie to them. In fact, I just hate to lie. Lying is like a nurturing plant seed. I find it so troublesome to tell a lie and, for it to be successful, I'd have to look after it constantly...often telling more lies to cover for the original lie told. And of course, since I have a bad memory, I'm likely to lose the original lie in the many lies that followed. So, I just keep my life much simpler and don't lie.

Lies often create drama. Drama is never appreciated.