Lies, lies everywhere; not an atom to spare! Everything in nature, every person in the world has told lies and endured lies. Lying is inherent in the making of the universe. Its presence is inevitable. Dreams lie, scientific studies lie, medical tests lie, computers lie, butterflies lie, foxes lie, the atmosphere lies, water lies, shopkeepers lie, best friends lie, soul-mates lie and everybody else lies. Lies fill the world. But are all lies immoral?
In a scene from the Mahabharata, at Kurukshetra, Krishna tells Yudhishtira to let know of Ashwatthama's death to Drona. In order not to break his dharma of always uttering the truth, Yudhishtira affirms to Drona that Ashwatthama is dead, but under his breath, adds that it was an elephant. Lying was never of any virtue to Yudhishtira. In this case he got lucky because Bhima had, just at the nick of time, slayed an elephant named, coincidentally, the same as that of Drona's son, Ashwatthama. However, to Krishna the falsity was justified. He was concerned with the larger picture. The undaunted Drona was the most significant threat to the Pandavas' army and had to be stopped so that the Pandavas could end up victorious, defeat evil and save mankind in the long run.
Similar to Krishna trying to save victory from going to the wrong hands in the war, lying is resorted to, in many situations, to save oneself. In nature, many varieties of butterflies which actually appeal to the taste buds of predator birds mimic the tasteless or disgusting ones to protect their existence. Certain birds divert the attention of foxes, approaching to make a meal of its chicks, by running away in a different direction. These sly birds then abandon the foxes a few paces away and fly off. Many such incidents of deceit are nature's way of saying , "Ha! You're stupid. So, try as you may, you're never going to get me!" A poem by Mary Howitt tactfully depicts such deception where the spider lures the fly to her den by flattering him.'"Will you walk into my parlour?" said the spider to the fly / 'Tis the prettiest little parlour that you ever did spy;'
People, sometimes, lie to avoid trouble. Kids fake the day's happenings to spare themselves a lecture or scolding from teachers or parents and give their ears some rest. Husbands with extra-marital affairs lie to their wives to keep the peace at home intact and consequently, save their marriage. Huckleberry Finn lied to Tom Sawyer's Aunt Sally so that he wouldn't be denied shelter at their place. Huck, however, was a habitual lier. Huckleberry, through his fib, saved many lives. He took the act of lying to a whole new level. For instance, he spilled pig's blood all over the floor of his Pap's shack and presented the picture that the house had been robbed, he himself had been murdered and drowned in the river. In fact he was hiding in a canoe, that had strayed within his reach by chance, in a dark cranny of a creek that diverged from the river. This done, he spared both Pap and himself of each other's company. In its own way it was a righteous act.
People, in the real world, lie at times to make others feel better. If a lie does good to a person, I would say that it is just. Well wishers face the dilemma of having to lie for the benefit of their loved ones as, in certain trauma patients' cases, it is undoubtedly a better option to tell them what they want to hear and keep them happy. Again, in the movie 'Big Fish', the son finally narrates to his dying father, how he would carry him to the lake and there the old man would transform into the legendary 'Big Fish'. By narrating the story of his father's death, he shows that he has accepted him and his overly fantacised ideologies of life. This was something that gave his father peace in the end. The quality of lying for the benefit of their fellows is probably endemic to homo-sapiens. due to their enhanced ability to empathize.
The lie that Yudhishtira, prompted by Krishna, agreed, unwillingly, to tell can now be looked at from two angles. It was a self-protection act but also done for the betterment of mankind.
Lies uttered under compulsion cannot be questioned for they are a helpless person's sin. But those told by choice may not uphold virtue. People lie to project a false image of the self. This is a major cause for extensive and growing corruption. The Dalai Lama aptly put, "There is much in the window, but nothing in the room."
Lies are not always good but lies are everywhere. Undeniably. it is better than truth in certain circumstances. Rightly said by C.E.Ayers, "A little inaccuracy saves a world of explanation."
In a scene from the Mahabharata, at Kurukshetra, Krishna tells Yudhishtira to let know of Ashwatthama's death to Drona. In order not to break his dharma of always uttering the truth, Yudhishtira affirms to Drona that Ashwatthama is dead, but under his breath, adds that it was an elephant. Lying was never of any virtue to Yudhishtira. In this case he got lucky because Bhima had, just at the nick of time, slayed an elephant named, coincidentally, the same as that of Drona's son, Ashwatthama. However, to Krishna the falsity was justified. He was concerned with the larger picture. The undaunted Drona was the most significant threat to the Pandavas' army and had to be stopped so that the Pandavas could end up victorious, defeat evil and save mankind in the long run.
Similar to Krishna trying to save victory from going to the wrong hands in the war, lying is resorted to, in many situations, to save oneself. In nature, many varieties of butterflies which actually appeal to the taste buds of predator birds mimic the tasteless or disgusting ones to protect their existence. Certain birds divert the attention of foxes, approaching to make a meal of its chicks, by running away in a different direction. These sly birds then abandon the foxes a few paces away and fly off. Many such incidents of deceit are nature's way of saying , "Ha! You're stupid. So, try as you may, you're never going to get me!" A poem by Mary Howitt tactfully depicts such deception where the spider lures the fly to her den by flattering him.'"Will you walk into my parlour?" said the spider to the fly / 'Tis the prettiest little parlour that you ever did spy;'
People, sometimes, lie to avoid trouble. Kids fake the day's happenings to spare themselves a lecture or scolding from teachers or parents and give their ears some rest. Husbands with extra-marital affairs lie to their wives to keep the peace at home intact and consequently, save their marriage. Huckleberry Finn lied to Tom Sawyer's Aunt Sally so that he wouldn't be denied shelter at their place. Huck, however, was a habitual lier. Huckleberry, through his fib, saved many lives. He took the act of lying to a whole new level. For instance, he spilled pig's blood all over the floor of his Pap's shack and presented the picture that the house had been robbed, he himself had been murdered and drowned in the river. In fact he was hiding in a canoe, that had strayed within his reach by chance, in a dark cranny of a creek that diverged from the river. This done, he spared both Pap and himself of each other's company. In its own way it was a righteous act.
People, in the real world, lie at times to make others feel better. If a lie does good to a person, I would say that it is just. Well wishers face the dilemma of having to lie for the benefit of their loved ones as, in certain trauma patients' cases, it is undoubtedly a better option to tell them what they want to hear and keep them happy. Again, in the movie 'Big Fish', the son finally narrates to his dying father, how he would carry him to the lake and there the old man would transform into the legendary 'Big Fish'. By narrating the story of his father's death, he shows that he has accepted him and his overly fantacised ideologies of life. This was something that gave his father peace in the end. The quality of lying for the benefit of their fellows is probably endemic to homo-sapiens. due to their enhanced ability to empathize.
The lie that Yudhishtira, prompted by Krishna, agreed, unwillingly, to tell can now be looked at from two angles. It was a self-protection act but also done for the betterment of mankind.
Lies uttered under compulsion cannot be questioned for they are a helpless person's sin. But those told by choice may not uphold virtue. People lie to project a false image of the self. This is a major cause for extensive and growing corruption. The Dalai Lama aptly put, "There is much in the window, but nothing in the room."
Lies are not always good but lies are everywhere. Undeniably. it is better than truth in certain circumstances. Rightly said by C.E.Ayers, "A little inaccuracy saves a world of explanation."
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