Grant Rawden

English 1101

1/28/2016

Professor Young

Is it Permissible to Lie?

We are always taught by our parents that it is never acceptable to lie, but what about for lying for good reasons?  Does the truth always set people free, or does it cause more pain that could have been avoided?  Lies create an untrustworthy distance between people which causes people to always use caution around the liar.  95% of the time people shouldn’t lie, but there are some important exceptions that have to be mentioned.  Whenever lives are at stake, it is okay to lie so death can be avoided.  Lying destroys connections which is exactly what is needed when in a terrible situation.  Obviously it’s forgivable when you lie to someone when they ask how they look.  Offending someone and hurting their feelings is never a good action to take, but it doesn’t hurt to suggest something that might improve their look.   However, lying to family members, friends, or known associates can be very dangerous.  These are people that know you well and interact with you every single day.  If the trust barrier is broken with these people then the good relationships will be forever corrupt.  No one will want to form a relationship with a liar.  There will always be a sense of nervousness and caution will always be applied.