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PAGE 32 SPOtLIGHtS MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

What About Lying?

Telling the truth has always
BY SUZANNE WARING been part of the curriculum in
religious education classes of
Once upon a time there was all faiths. With so few families
a little boy who was finally old attending church today, where
enough to become a shepherd will the concept of telling the
and take the sheep up the moun- truth be taught? Is it being
tainside to graze—a job that taught in the home?
he eagerly looked forward to Sissela Bok, an ethicist at
fulfilling. Everyone in the village Harvard University in a 2017
thought this was an important article in the National Geographic
job, because the sheep were a said, “Lying is so easy compared
major part of their livelihood. to other ways of gaining power.
On the first day, one of the According to Harvard University psychologist Daniel Gilbert, people’s first It’s much easier to lie in order to
men went with the little boy impulse is to accept information as true, especially when said by an official, get somebody’s money or wealth
to herd the sheep. When they through the news or in print. But when we take the second step of evaluating than to hit them over the head or
whether that information is correct, we may discover it’s actually a falsehood.
reached the spot where the ani- © Pixelvario, Bigstock.com. rob a bank.”
mals would graze, the man told Today it is easier to tell lies
the little boy that if a wolf came to attack must be taught the difference and why. because of the media world we live in.
the animals, and he couldn’t scare the wolf There are two vital questions: “Why is Frequently we aren’t facing the person we
away, he was to cup his hands and cry out, telling the truth important?” and “Why is are talking to. It may be because of social
“Wolf.” Then the village men would run up lying demeaning to both the speaker and media that society’s ability to separate truth
the mountain to save the animals. the listener?” from lies is under unprecedented threat.
The little boy took the sheep up the The famous French essayist, Montaigne, Apparently as a society we tell lies without
mountainside by himself the next day, but said, “Lying is a hateful and accursed vice. guilt, and we are unable to tell whether
he soon found it was boring being up on the We have no other tie upon one another, but someone else is telling a lie.
mountain by himself. He decided he needed our word.” Harvard University psychologist Daniel
some action, so even though there was no For many years an agreement was Gilbert says determining whether a state-
wolf, he called, “Wolf.” enacted on a handshake. Must we have a ment is true or a lie takes two steps: When
The men came running. They were dis- written contract for everything? Is lying people hear or read information, their first
gusted with the boy when there was no wolf accepted as normal today, or would we like impulse is that it is the truth, especially
and pointed out that he was lying and gave to depend on the truth? when said by an official, through the news,
him another chance. By the time he called, Montaigne also said, “After a tongue has or in print. But, whoa, information given by
“Wolf,” the third time, he lost his important once got the knack of lying ‘tis not to be these entities isn’t always true.
and coveted job of being a shepherd. imagined how impossible it is to reclaim it.” It’s when we take the second step of
Did you hear a version of this story Lying is the act—whether small or big, evaluating whether that information is cor-
from your parents when lying was being cruel or kind, casual or calculated—of caus- rect that we might determine a falsehood.
discussed? When my mother doubted some- ing others to believe something that is not “Unfortunately, while the first step
thing that we children said, she would say, true. Studies have shown that we possibly is a natural part of thinking—it happens
“Is this an instance where the little boy was lie several times every day. Apparently lying automatically and effortlessly—the second
crying ‘Wolf”? is a human frailty that we must always step can be easily disrupted. It takes work.”
Small children don’t know the difference strive to overcome. Gilbert writes, “When faced with shortages
between telling the truth and a lie. They Why do we lie? Sometimes we lie to our- of time, energy, or conclusive evidence,
selves to maintain [human minds] may fail to ‘unaccept’
our own self-re- the ideas that they involuntarily accepted
GAMBLING Problem? spect. Sometimes we during comprehension.”
Even though lying has far-reaching con-
lie to others to keep
We want to help! their admiration. sequences, it is also an everyday occurance.
T he p ro b l e m
The attempt toward truth must not be for-
with lies is that one saken. We as a government, a community,
Recently, your Montana Gaming Businesses have lie leads to others. It a family, and a person needs to renew our

expanded the counseling services available for prob- is easy to become a vows to speak and evaluate for truth, and it
habitual liar, if not
all begins with you—and me. MSN
lem gamblers and their families by providing a toll free about one topic but
hot-line with trained counselors. about many.

All services
To speak with a counselor, call are free and

1-888-900-9979 confidential SOUP’S ON!
Submitted by Mike Danner
What’s the difference between mashed potatoes and
We’re aware of the problem and we’re taking it seriously. pea soup? Anyone can mash potatoes! MSN

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