Thought help: Is lying necessary? - Help.com

spiritedsoul wrote:
well, it depends on the situation.

Well, I’m talking about **generally**… Is lying necessary to maintain a productive society. If everyone always told the thruth, where would we be (as a society).

OK… Then, are conveniences necessary to sustain a productive society?

aussiepaint wrote:
Come on guy’s…..one step forward all those that havent told a little lie…..I thought so !

Of course everyone lies. That’s the source of the original question, Is lying necessary to sustain a productive society?

But, is it necessary. In other words, could mankind exist and flourish if we were incapable of lying. Like you said, lying=convenience=efficiency. So, therefore, is lying necessary because, otherwise, mankind would not be able to handle reality in a manner efficient enough to overcome …. something, what??

Efficiency=speed=power, I agree with that. I disagree with power creates secrets. Secrets are not necessary to maintain a power position.

YeOldeBacon The Bard wrote:
each other?

Hmmm. very interesting. Didn’t think of that. But that would imply that humans are inherintly self-destructive. So, without lying (among other behaviours) to offset mankinds destructive behaviour, humans would die off.

So, lying IS necessary. Interesting. :-)

Have you read the post in its entirety? The question is not meant to be answered with a utopian perspective, but rather, from an evolutionary perspective. The answer is deeper than desire.

Tell me why. Explain why lying is not a nessesary act, or behavior, to maintain a productive society.

“Probably”??? :-) c’mon, you can do better. Seriously, I’m interested to hear the other side of the debate. So far, this post has, more or less, concluded that lying Is necessary. If there’s a strong argument to the contrary, I’m interested.

Consider all relevant angles. Lying’s usefullness (sp??) is not restricted to gain something by taking from others. In other words, one person telling a lie can be mutually beneficial to an entire group.

Also, you are an itenligent person who can deal with truth. You have the mental capacity to handle difficult situations. However, there are weaker people who simply cannot deal with some truths. For example, children. How often do adults lie to children in order to keep them safe?

Let’s say a plague is spreading, causing death and despare. A person, who is far more enlightened than most, believes that the plague is being spread by tiny things that nobody can even see. And, that person disovers that by washing your self regularily, using a certain mixture of “stuff”, significantly decreases the risk. But, nobody will believe that tiny little things they can’t even see are floating in the air and causing all this death - so, they ignore his advice. So, instead, he says there’s something in the dirt that makes you sick if it gets into you through a cut, or whatever… So people start regularily washing.

Or, “Santa will only come if you fall asleep.” The kids get some much needed rest, there imagination runs wild, parent’s get to spend time toghether on a special night, the family wakes up and enjoys a wonderful morning.

uncledwayne wrote:
And how often do children grow up to become rotten adults who lie to their children?

The VAST majority of children grow up to be wonderfull, productive members of society. If that weren’t true, humans would have gone extinct a long time ago.

Hmmm… Just found this interesting article. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A996942

Let me ask you this. Could you go the rest of your life never telling a lie?

And do you feel that approach will serve you well, for the rest of your life, as well as, benefit the people are you? I understand that it might be possible to never tell a lie, but will it allow you to prosper, and will it allow your social group as a whole to prosper? I believe that such behavior would, in fact, be extremely detrimental.

You’re lying!! lol :-)

Did you really?? :-) I’m smiling, while wondering if I’m gullible, and also concerned, wondering if I actually offended you.

No worries :-) Yeah, I was just trying to make a (bad) joke. I actually don’t have it in me to offend someone, solely for the purpose of offending them.

It’s all good :-) I hope, when you do sleep you sleep well. I will say this (regarding our last few exchanges) … Through the many many conversations I’ve had on this site, I must say one of the best was with someone who actually tried to offend me. Thing is, I cannot be offended. :-) The conversation went from one of a destructive nature (on his part) to one of mutual respect, and an admitance on his part that he learned something. Turns out, was actually a pretty cool, inteligent guy. So, my reason for writing this is just to say that I feel, on this site, you never know who you may end up helping by avoiding premature judgement.

BTW… I agree with your advice - next time, unless I know the person I’m talking with pretty well, it’s probably best for me to avoid *sarcastic/joking* insults.