What's the worst kind of lie? Which one hits different and why?

Question

First and foremost, lying is a NET POSITIVE as it has evolved among ALL species studied for the propensity for deception. The simple, harsh truth is that liars gain advantage and people who do not lie or cannot tell they're being lied to are, inferior, from an evolutionary standpoint. Suck it up. Liars win. Marks lose.

Lies we tell to PROTECT OURSELVES:

We might lie to avoid punishment. For example, children often lie about whether they have completed their homework. If they tell the truth, their parents might insist that the homework be done immediately, which could preclude their participation in a recreational activity.

We might lie to prevent ourselves from being embarrassed about behavior we regret or because we don’t want to reveal private information that might be used against us. We may worry that public awareness of such information can cause us stress or anxiety.

We might lie to avoid conflict. For example, a spouse may choose not to tell the truth about how they feel about their spouse’s behavior for fear that an uncomfortable disagreement might arise.

We might lie to gain social acceptance from a particular group. For example, we might feign interest in a subject matter to join a group that extols that subject. Or, we could post partial truths or fabrications on social media to become popular.

We might lie to get ahead in a competition or business. For example, a businessman might falsely claim great success in the past to secure a new business interest. Such lies can also make us feel better about ourselves when others believe us.

We might lie in a relationship to maintain control. For example, we might falsely state that we have brought a lot of money into a partnership.

Lies we tell to protect others:

We might lie about an illegal activity undertaken by a friend so that the friend does not suffer from negative consequences.

We might lie about something to spare the feelings of someone else.

Whats the worst kind of lie? Which one hits different and why?

Crimsyjo · Accepted Answer

I agree with maybe. maybe. not. excellent post and excellent reasons for lying. The only one I think is "worse" is lying about fidelity. Because yes you are protecting yourself from hurt or consequences BUT it's something within your control to NOT do in the first place. Ok sure stealing work friends cookie and lying about it also waa within your control. But the consequence of them not having that cookie is not the same as your partner finding out you cheated. Goes for stealing money or many other things you do that hurts a partner that you might lie about. I can understand lying to avoid embarrassment or getting ahead in business!

mandyfire98 · Accepted Answer

I would say honestly the needless white lies because far too often the lie isn't even necessary at all but it starts something to where that person gets into a routine of lying just to lie and get away with it.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry but this  street message is flawless , in logic, scope and the play of words. So absurdly perfect it effectively disabled all your text and the question itself.

HighValue · Accepted Answer

The worst type of lies are false accusations. It deserves the death penalty.

Love Doctor Brad · Accepted Answer

As a relationship coach, I've seen the fallout from lies up close, and wow, can it sting! Cheating in relationships hits differently because it erodes trust, the glue holding everything together. That moment of discovery? It's like a cold shower when you expected a warm, cozy bath. Evolutionarily speaking, it might make sense to lie sometimes, but let's not forget the emotional cost. The truth can be tough, but trust me, lovebirds, it's the foundation of healthy relationships. So, keep it real and let honesty be your guiding light! 😏💫

Rosexøxø · Answer

I stopped halfway cause of the bewilderment and wild nature of the context to say

lies are suppression.

you're not honest with others or self.

Its a coping mechanism that can do more damage.

It doesn’t protect if we used to be pack animals and breaking trust means you damage ties networks and bonds with your pack mates.

Lies cloud judgement and self awareness. It feeds delusional thinking so if you have a problem it’s gonna take a LOT longer to find the error and cure fix resolve THAT problem.

lies are defense maneuver. It’s a flight avoidance retreat response meaning

A person resorts to it when they become overwhelmed with stimuli and react with retreat because of it.

In a sense it means cowardice is means immaturity and lack of development to find resolve in any other way.

It can be creative but less creative than finding ways/methods of resolution.

If someone lied because of a regretted behavior they may lack moral compass to make the adjustment later and find lying to be beneficial and thus repeat the behavior which will end up back stabbing them in long term.

if they lie because of regretted behavior it means they weren’t smart to make a better decision the first time around. Especially for minuscule things.

There ARE alternatives to lying. There are other coping mechanisms when a person is confronted with bad behavior or being caught in lying or have lied.

Lying may seem fitting to the one who is not a pack survivalist and more of a solo survivalist and in that case they’re gonna have to be really GOOD at more than just lying… in order to survive and live well.

Lying would require a strict memory because many people also have memories and at any point the context clues can turn on and suspicions can arise.

Lying is abuse of pack survival. A member in a pack of wolves would not assume his/her pack mate would unexpectedly attack him/her instead of the game/prey they were collectively hunting. It would be irreversible damage but at some point that wolf will have to hunt alone if being banished, killed by other members, or killing the others and then living on its own to face the struggles regarding survival.

Liars are probably independent thinkers who think of self interest and that doesn’t help in group and team atmospheres. It delays progress. Liars need help coping with difficult confrontations and be clear about things within themselves that need adjusting and healing.

Anyone can build a habit of lying. It’s not always a sign of intelligence. Kids do lie, but we see others who see through the lies. Not just parents. As a youngster myself back then, I’d see heaps of lying kids who had little friends and had poor quality lies. It was a deterring factor for me. I just saw weakness.

Anyone who lies to others to get their own gain is not capable of doing something themself or cooperating in a group to make it happen. That’s all I have to say about liars. 👍

blueonblack22 · Answer

This is complicated.

Personally I was never a very good liar. Because once you lie then you have to lie again and again to back it up. You literally create a fictitious reality. That’s a burden to bear and takes a lot of mental effort.

But I think some people actually like lying for the sake of lying. Pathological liars often lie even if the truth has no consequence. It’s an escape from reality for them. They look at life as their personal acting class.

Anyway the only thing I hate more than a liar is a willful hypocrite. Nothing is worse then someone who criticizes, insults and chastises other people out ego when they themselves have flaws that are just as bad if not worse then the people they attack. That one really gets to me.

And also like liars all of us have been hypocritical about something in our lives. But willful hypocrisy is different. Some people seriously think their sh*t doesn’t stink and if they are aggressive enough then people will overlook their own faults.

Ladsin2 · Answer

My initial thoughts were, "the lies that get found out." Upon thinking more about it though, I think probably the lies we tell ourselves. They're probably the worst, because in order to move in a smart manner through life you should have an honest assessment of where you are, and what you're doing. Lying to yourself is just going to end with more pain... more than likely.

electromagnetic · Answer

I cannot stand people that lie without reason or cause. Especially amongst group of friends. For example, one will talk about the amazing date they went on and the liar with chime with an even more elaborate story about the date they went on with extra embellishments. I cannot stand that. It doesn’t serve a purpose at all.

MisterWack · Answer

Lies we tell ourselves, if we were all transparent with ourselves we’d be transparent about everything else.

Caroline91 · Answer

They all lead to distrust in a relationship. I walk away from lies.

RageBabe · Answer

Thinking that your mother was actually your mother… but it was all a lie.

Ariesman81 · Answer

Yep... all true. Still can't bring myself to do it though

Crazzyyworld · Answer

Black supremacy, they r slaves, all women are angel, not all women are angels, you just wish they are, all Asians are dirty, Americans love anyone (they are selfish and greedy), Europe is fun travel place, it’s run down and very boring,

NathanDavis · Answer

politics...

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

White lies

jack1924 · Answer

Finance and political

Gwendoline · Answer

Lies of betrayal

What's the worst kind of lie? Which one hits different and why?

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