Lying Is A Skill That Should Not Be Looked Down Upon
Throughout our lives, we are taught many useful and important skills and praised for learning them. However, there are some skills that are left for us to learn on our own. Some of these skills are looked down upon such as the ability to effectively tell a lie. Lying is a very useful and critical skill to have, yet it is looked down upon. Honesty is what everyone values, yet lying is more important to learn. Lies save lives and jobs and many other things. Honesty can be what causes death or depression or many other things as well. Honesty is a last-resort option in many cases, where lying can benefit you more in the future and the present.
Why is lying looked down upon? Lying is looked down upon because people hate being lied to. Ironically, the people who hate being lied to, frequently lie to others. Lying is human nature. We lie because we want to. We lie to bypass specific uncomfortable or potentially dangerous situations. We lie to survive. This world is survival of the fittest and the fittest know how to lie.
Lying does require intelligence. In order for a lie to be believable and taken as a potential truth by another, the lie must be intelligent. Naturally, people can tell when a 4 year old is lying because the 4 year old is new to this subject. When an adult lies, it is hard to tell whether or not he/she is lying. We need physical proof if there is intelligence behind the lie and even if proof is found to prove that this alternate reality is a lie, it can still be deceiving and believable.
Lying is very useful in precarious situations. In WWII, the American soldiers used lying to confuse and misdirect the Japanese officers. For example, an American Bomber back in the 1940s named Louie Zamperini was captured by the Japanese and put in a Prisoner-of-War camp. He was asked to draw a picture of an American weapon and he lied by drawing something harmless that his friends would know how to draw. This was an intelligent lie. When the Japanese tried to gain proof of this being a possible lie, Louie whispered what he drew to his friend Phil. Phil lied just as Louie did and drew the same harmless item. The lie was then seen as a reality when in actuality, it was an ingenious and intelligent lie.
Louie Zamperini at 81 years after his life-saving lie
Lying is looked down upon and many believe it should not be so. Maybe one day people will be lauded for lying, but that day has not yet come. It is a necessary skill, but ones life should not be based upon lies. Lying should be a skill that is used only when necessary. Lying is dangerous. Lying can put a person in a spot that is very challenging to get out of and lying could possibly be the reason for death, but if used correctly, lying can save lives. Many people won’t believe this but it is true as portrayed by Louie Zamperini.
Parents say that they dread the day when their child will first lie to them. They say that they will be upset that their child has started to lie to their parents as well as the world. When I have a child and he or she lies to me for the first time, I will not shun my kid for doing so, but instead I will congratulate him. I will be proud of my son/daughter because lying IS a necessary skill and can be the difference between life or death.
