Is lying ever ethically or morally justified?
I think so. It's such a broad topic that it's hard to say. If you're friend asks you if she looks alright, but she looks completely awful, wouldn't you tell a bit of a white lie to be less blunt? And what if you're trying to protect someone? If you're friend who your parents hate broke your mom's favorite vase, and you knew they wouldn't care if you had done it, would you lie for your friend? But then there are times when the lies can be harmful. In a criminal trial, it's completely wrong to lie about who killed whom, who shot someone, anything that could put an innocent person in jail and a convict back on the streets.
I lie. I'll admit that, but I don't lie about harmful things and I don't lie about anything that could harm my trust with other people. I may tell a friend she looks wonderful when it's maybe not her best day. I try to help my friends with fights by embellishing the details of their regret just slightly enough to make both sides realize it's completely dumb. I don't ever want my friends to have hurt feelings or low self esteem, so I tell the occasional white lie.
Benedick and Beatrice's relationship was fueled by lies to get them to admit their affection for each other, but there are many lies that could have hurt them, much like the lies about Hero that are fueled by Don John. I approve of the former, and must condemn the latter because it is not going to get you anywhere to bring down others. I think it is ethical to lie sometimes, but it all really depends on the situation.
Have a good break everyone! :)
4 comments:
Aliza, you are amazing... I completely agree with everything that you said. However, I must admit, I lie to inflict trouble on those... whose company I do not enjoy...
Hope you had a great break
Great blog to come back to!
You make a god point, small white lies are spometimes an okay thing to make, like when you trying to protect someone, although think sometimes it is better to just be blunt and fully honest even if its the harder thing to do! Do you think Beatrice and Benedick liked eachother before or do you think by heearing that the other liked them they started to gain affectin fo r eachother? I still cant really deside if this event is ethical or not but the one with Don Jon tricking Claudio into thinking Hero was havingf relaions with someone else is definatly wrong, he really is a bastard. I just think the lie between an ethical lie an an uethical one is extreamly thin and is sometimes passed accidently by people.
I agree with your ideas. I also agree (with Nora) that the line between a good lie and a bad line is very small. You could lie about breaking a vase, but suppose that vase was a vase at a museum? Now your telling a lie to protect another, but its about a crime (although a minor one). Sometimes its best not to lie about any vases so that you don't lie about all of them. Also, some lies that protect others can eventually hurt them. If someone finds out, you and your friend have just lost a lot of credibility (and your parents are even madder at your friend then they would have been with the truth).
Like you said, lying is sometimes really necessary but sometimes it can be really hurtfull. And I for one sometimes find it really confusing as to whether to lie or not. But for the most part, lying is ok when it is harmless.
Post a Comment