One of the pillars of human social interaction is the existence of lying. An ongoing debate of whether or not one should practice honesty or deploy a deceptive lie exists in most people’s minds. While most people think of lying as something invariably deliberate, some lies can be automatic and subconscious, and are said and accepted without hesitation or further thought. While it is clear to many how abundant lying is in today’s world, the consideration of how beneficial and morally correct lying is not one that is pondered often enough. Whether or not lying is something encouraged is a topic of great debate. To many, lying is a necessary tool that exists for the benefit of those who are wise enough to take advantage of it. However, when one …show more content…
Unfortunately for those who value and practice lying, most benefits cited by people do not outweigh lying’s harmful effects. Lying has a negative effect on mental well-being, as seen in creating facades, stereotyping people, and deluding oneself. One of the most ongoing and difficult lies to go through with involves faking one’s personality and appearance in order to acclimate one’s social appearance to gain advantages within the field of interaction with others. In Stephanie Ericsson’s “The Ways We Lie,” she describes this type of lying as a façade, one that she believes is commonly practiced to varying degrees by most people. She gives an example of this type of lie when describing her own experiences putting on facades. “When I put on a suit to go to see a client, I feel as though I am putting on another face, obeying the expectation that serious businesspeople wear suits rather than sweatpants” (Ericsson 473). While this description of deception may seem innocuous at first, as it can be considered a simple social trend that doesn’t ultimately bring anybody harm, facades are not always