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Do you lie?

Many years ago I read Sam Harris’s book about lying. And it got me thinking…

There are times like everyone, where I would avoid telling the truth and tell a ‘little lie’, for convenience. Why? Because, I didn’t want to deal with the consequences of telling the truth and it’s outcomes. And as I backtracked through my thought processes, I realised the motivation to lie was because my ethics weren’t in alignment with my actions.

Maybe I was claiming to be of some character trait but I wasn’t holding up to those ideals and if I was caught out I had to fudge my way around the reality by telling some porkies.

As the years have gone by I’ve had to look deeper into my ethics and what I really stand for and consider if I really feel some way. Am I living the reality of that ethic in my day to day? If I was to be asked about it, would I need to lie and if I did maybe my ethics and reality aren’t in alignment.

Over the years I’ve stopped lying. I won’t necessarily offer to tell the truth but if someone asks, I won’t lie and then we all will have to deal with how I see truth being told. In that I also am prepared in an instant to recount my statement if new information comes to light. I’m not attached at all to my opinions and can quickly change my mind.

I’ve thought through many of my ethics and know where I stand and when I’m asked about an issue not yet fully considered I will defer my response until I’ve given it due consideration.