Ethics "The Way We Lie" Essay

Deflecting is yet another category where the attention due is diverted from the truth to other matters that may not necessarily concern the situation yet sensitive enough to receive attention. Omission is highlighted as yet another telling of lie that involves telling the truth but omitting a few truths that are crucial to the entire situation. Stereotypes and cliches is yet another category where the socially believed statements are used to misinform people instead of giving the balanced truth. Groupthinking is seen as a category of lies where one is compelled to agree to what the group believes in, not necessarily because is convinced but due to group loyalty demand. Out-and-out lies is yet another category where the person directly lies about something that can be seen as clearly the opposite of the truth. Dismissal is a kind of lies that are perpetuated by denying the reality and is considered the slyest of all lies categories. The last category here is delusion where the liar presents and believes in excuses as facts.

The argument put forth by the writer are very credible since they all draw from the real life situation and daily experiences that we undergo. They fetch from true scenarios that we undergo in the current society. The essay is hence very important to the reader as it gives the answer to the fine question of where the line between a lie and truth stands.It also gives the categories of lies to make it abundantly clear to the reader where the ethical standards are concerning lies.

The article is also very relevant to the current society since it doe not paint a picture of perfect human life or the way that must be lived, buy suggests that it is impossible to live a lie free life and after the divulging of the various ways to lie and varied reasons for the same, it leaves it open to the reader to decide the level of lie that could be ethical.

The lesson drawn from the essay is the fallible nature of man that keeps coming up in as much as we try to avoid it. It also points out that man has control over a limited part of the self particularly when it comes to lies hence there is need to know what cuts across as unethical and strive to avoid it, albeit total avoidance to lies is utterly impossible, though we try.

Reference

Samuel Cohen, (2004). 50 Essays: The Ways we Lie. St. Marins; Bedford. Retrieved October 15, 2012 from http://www.qsl.net/k/kb4rpv/ways-lie.pdf.....