Pants On Fire

“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” 

~George Washington

I am a compulsive liar.

And so is the rest of the world.

Let me explain.

Remember when you first learned about the origin of Thanksgiving in elementary/primary school? We were taught about a peaceful encounter between some of the first colonists and natives that led to prosperity on both sides and a large, bountiful meal for all...Not much later than high school did we learn of the brutality of Europeans to Native Americans (and vice versa) and the so-called "feast" that supposedly never happened. Maybe you, yourself, have wondered why you were led astray as a child to believe our ancestors got along just fine and happily broke bread together.

We were taught John Hancock signed his name noticeable larger on the Declaration of Independence to make a statement, per se, and scoff King George. In reality, he signed first because he was the president of Congress and perhaps did not know how large he needed to sign the document. As kids, we were amused at Hancock's apparent audacity, which may not have existed at all.

Even in our daily lives, we heard "bread crust will make you stronger," "don't make that face or it will stick like that forever," and "too much TV will damage your eyesight." Why are we told these lies? Why do we continue to tell them to the generations after ours? 

A person could convince his/herself of a lie if he/she tried hard enough. Adults may come to believe these myths because they heard the same things growing up. Passing down these myths has created a replacement to fact.

Shame on you! Weren't you taught to never lie? Even George Washington knew that.

Okay, calm down. I didn't mean to make you upset. Maybe there is a reason for the ancient myths and spontaneous fibs. Personally, I believe lying isn't as bad as we all make it out to be. 

Hear me out. If your child told you he/she/etc. wanted to be President when they grew up, you would most likely tell them "you can be anything you want," even when the odds are extremely slim. You tell your kids this because it gives them hope and confidence. We stretch the truth to save people from disappointment. There is a possibility that one of them may become President on day. We cherish those moments when we can make someone else feel good, even if we do not reveal the entire truth. As people age, they learn in their own way how honesty is not, in certain cases, the best policy. People figure things out with their growing sense of logic and beliefs. Eventually, they end up making the same decisions as the generation before them because they realize how important it is for kids to find their own answers. Of course, there are certain lies that could harm, but in those situations, the best scenario is to treat the issue with sensitivity.

I'm not telling you lying is okay sometimes. Holding back part of the truth can spare negative emotions, but honest is still the best policy (let's say 85% of the time). Think about the way you deliver a message to a person. Consider how the information will affect them. Brutal honesty is almost never necessary and neither is a full-blown fabrication. I appreciate my parents telling me the stories I can remember from my childhood because they gave me something I could use as an explanation for what I could not understand until I could make sense of those stories on my own. They spared me from believing the world is so full of fear and negativity until I had the courage to face everything by myself. 

Lies are also told when we, ourselves, do not have all the answers. we make what we believe to be better accounts to replace historical inaccuracies. We mean to make the history of our world seem exciting and inspiring. I'll leave the ethics of these lies to professionals.

Again, I'm not telling you to lie, but the odds are, you already have...numerous times. We're only human. We can't help ourselves. Just keep in mind that maybe not all lies are bad. We keep people's best interests in mind when we hold back the whole truth, and we seek to protect those people. When your partner asks if those jeans make his/her/etc. bottom look noticeably larger, let them know how much he/she/etc. means to you.

"Mothers lie. It's in the job description."

― John Green