The White Lie

Although most lies are categorized as selfish, I hold that there are some lies that are told with good intentions. While such lies still involve some degree of deception, they do not seek to cause harm to others or to promote oneself as a selfish lie would. Ericsson terms this type of lie as a “white lie”, and goes on to say, “The white lie assumes that the truth will cause more damage than a simple, harmless untruth” (425). In other words, people sometimes fudge the truth out of concern for the well being and feelings of others. I say that this is not a bad or selfish lie because one is trying to spare hurt. Ericsson, however, takes the firm stance that these white lies are manipulative and adds, “But, in effect, it is the liar deciding what

Even from my own experience, I know such a feat is easier said than done. Naturally, we strive to avoid hurting someone’s feelings, or be put in a position that can cause harm or have a negative effect on us or others. We tend to feel that saying a white lie will be better than telling the truth. For example, if burglars ask where you keep your valuables or cash in the house, instinctively, you do not want to tell them. However, while a lie may be helpful to the liar at that specific moment, I believe that in the long run, depending on the circumstances, it can actually be more harmful because the liar will realize that if he or she got away with one lie, he or she can get away with even more. The liar will then become accustom to lying, so that lying will no longer be viewed as morally wrong, but rather, a practice that can be justified because everyone does it. As a result, I feel the distinction between the truth and a lie will become indifferent. In other words, if people consistently lie, other people will not know what to believe anymore. This will ultimately result in irreparable damage to relationships and feelings as people will not know where reality begins or ends, and words will no longer mean much. In order to prevent a skeptic society, we must realize that every lie has a consequence, and take the first steps to limit