We spend our whole childhood being repeatedly told that lying is wrong and that we must always tell the truth. This is something that is also taught at school and every society has a multitude of heroes and heroines who are held up as paragons of virtue as they would never tell a lie in any circumstance and would sacrifice all they have in the name of truth. Not only is lying wrong but withholding the truth is as sinful—that is the lesson taught. However, as we grow older, we see adults telling lies at every instance, often for frivolous reasons and those who, since an early age told us that lying was a bad thing have now themselves become liars. Then, one day we come across a real dilemma: there are such things as white lies!! So, the question that arises is whether telling lies under certain circumstances is morally acceptable.
It seems certain that in the new morality, it is acceptable to do a lesser evil to avert a greater one. If for example a man is being pursued by a gang of thugs, who obviously intend to hurt him, and he comes to hide with us, should we tell the gang where he is if they ask for it? The answer is pretty obvious. But what if the man is a fugitive, a thief running away from the police who are the pursuers, should we then betray him? Once again, the answer is pretty obvious and common sense suggest that we do so. This is based on the principle that everyone should help in maintaining law and order.
It may also happen that we lie to prevent ourself from being harmed. Such a situation is most applicable for children who will readily lie so as not to get into trouble. In fact, for smaller children, it may happen that they lie, without intending to. As we all know, small children have vivid imagination and it may be difficult for them to distinguish the real world from their imagination. This is referred to as untruth rather than a lie as they do not understand completely what is happening. In such a case, if parents keep after them for telling the lies, they are doing a serious injustice. They are curbing their child’s imagination and perhaps, smothering genius in the cradle. What is being argued is whether it is acceptable to be untruthful if one doesn't know one is being so. As far as children are concerned, the answer is rather clear but what if an adult were to be in such a situation? This can happen when for instance an adult thinks he sees someone committing a crime when in fact it is someone else. Whatever happens, it seems to be a mitigating circumstance if the adult intends to tell the truth but instead tells a lie.
Here is a real dilemma: should we ever tell a lie to save ourselves from punishment? The moral choice is clear as we should never set double standards. If we are to accept that we should tell the truth when others have done wrong, it then appears fair that we too should not be spared when we have done wrong. However, it does seem reasonable that we should do everything to preserve ourself from punishment, especially death. Assuming that we kill someone and think that what we have done right. For ourself our action is right but to the state, we are guilty. All this is a complicated and very unclear system but what seems clear however is that we should obey the state as it takes precedence over individuals. But is this truly being done? It is no secret that on many occasions, criminals do get away by telling lies and telling it systematically, with great planning with the assistance and advice of their lawyers.
Lying is something complicated and determining whether a person is lying or not is even more complicated. Thus, deciding whether lying is morally acceptable or not or whether the situation has compelled someone to lie is a merely impossible task.
BY ROHAN SONOO
Comments