Lying by Sam Harris does a fantastic job at giving a quick basis as why not to lie and the toll it takes one’s self. To begin, it may be of note to mention that I am a former chronic liar. I used to lie about just about anything. From the mundane to serious matters, I had no conscience about lying and found myself telling lies more than truth. With this personal understanding of lying and its effects, I hope to shed some light on inner-workings of a liar.
Regarding the text, it is essential to differentiate between Harris’s view of lying and his former professor, Ronald Howard. Harris takes a more pragmatic view and applies the ethics of lying to everyday situations. Harris is more comfortable answering questions like, “What should we tell …show more content…
Harris points out this destructive nature when he claims,”Lying is the royal road to chaos.”(Harris 1) Once people become comfortable with lying about small things like fake excuses or white lies, they tip their toe in the pool of bigger lies. They don’t dive in, but they just check to see if they can maybe lie about something that would change someone else’s opinion about them. What if I just said that I make more money than I do, or maybe claim I’m in the process of writing a book? By lying about achievements or accolades, you are cheapening your self-worth and merit. You should be proud in what you have actually accomplished, not some fantasy you have conjured. After you tell that kind of lie, most people will just be polite and say, “Oh really, that’s nice.” So now you have to mentally keep track of the lie you told and who you told it to. But wait, there’s more. Sometimes, people will question you and ask you more on the subject you just lied about. So now you have to create and track another lie on the spot. Harris explains quite easily as to how some individuals can keep track of their lies so easily, “They are psychopaths. They do not care about others and are quite happy to sever relationships whenever the need arises.”(Harris
Regarding the text, it is essential to differentiate between Harris’s view of lying and his former professor, Ronald Howard. Harris takes a more pragmatic view and applies the ethics of lying to everyday situations. Harris is more comfortable answering questions like, “What should we tell …show more content…
Harris points out this destructive nature when he claims,”Lying is the royal road to chaos.”(Harris 1) Once people become comfortable with lying about small things like fake excuses or white lies, they tip their toe in the pool of bigger lies. They don’t dive in, but they just check to see if they can maybe lie about something that would change someone else’s opinion about them. What if I just said that I make more money than I do, or maybe claim I’m in the process of writing a book? By lying about achievements or accolades, you are cheapening your self-worth and merit. You should be proud in what you have actually accomplished, not some fantasy you have conjured. After you tell that kind of lie, most people will just be polite and say, “Oh really, that’s nice.” So now you have to mentally keep track of the lie you told and who you told it to. But wait, there’s more. Sometimes, people will question you and ask you more on the subject you just lied about. So now you have to create and track another lie on the spot. Harris explains quite easily as to how some individuals can keep track of their lies so easily, “They are psychopaths. They do not care about others and are quite happy to sever relationships whenever the need arises.”(Harris