Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Honesty the Best Policy? - 12:43 AM
A little white lie is often necessary, whether its for self individualism or to protect other people's feelings... But hEY! I'm not suggesting that I think its ok for you guys to turn into lawyers (haha dun bash me) or pathological liars... Ya la Ya la, we've been taught from a young age that lying is bad and the ma-tah will come kop us away if we lied... and in most countries, court systems requires the witness to swear under the oath to tell 'the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth'. (if only they make the lawyers swear too...NEHHH the whole system will collapse). For in a precarious, symbolically constructed world, it is doubtful that social relationships could be established, maintained and nurtured if such 'whole truth and nothing but the truth' discourse characterized human behavior.Have you ever watched the movie 'Liar Liar'? In it, Jim Carey's a pathological liar cos he's a lawyer and for them to win cases, USUALLY you have to lie right? And he's become so good at it that he can't stop lying even in front of his own son. On his birthday, his son wishes for his Daddy to tell the truth for one day. Bad move (especially when you're an attorney) And if you had watched that movie, you will know what I mean. And so, I start to wonder 'Is Honesty really the Best Policy?' hmmm...Probably not, huh?
OH, oh. When I say lying, I don't mean outright, completely ridiculous, off-the-mark deceit. Half truths, Exaggerations, Secrets, Diversionary responses are all included within the frameworks of lying. Meaning, if you told your friend that shee doesn't look fat in that dress when in actual fact she mildly resembles a COW, you just told a lie (to protect her feelings or not). Meaning if you told your colleague that you have no idea what Boss thinks of her proposal when in actual fact Boss HATED it, but you didn't wanna be the one to let her know, that was a lie too. Meaning that when you told your friend that you NEARLY died from a skiing expedition when you merely kena a scratch, you're lying as well. The biggest liar of all are the ones who insist 'they have never lied'. Yah.............RIGHT.
So anyway my friend SF ( nickname to protect his/her identity...OK LA ITS A HER!! i cannot keep secrets haha) feels bad cos she's been lying to her current boss to go for other job interviews. She probably lied like... a couple of times (or slightly more), giving him reasons like 'going hiking', or 'bringing my visiting aunt around.' I tell her that if I were her, yes I'd definitely feel bad (i felt pai seh with taking half day leaves at hsbc in the past!), but for future prospects... Sorry boss, I gotta do what I gotta do! And then she says she's sick of having to lie time and again. I tell her 'AIYAH. you already lied 3 times.. whats the diff of lying once more?' Then I gave her this scenario, which sparked this entry cos she say I should share it cos its funny...
Scenario between Husband and Wife. Wife has just discovered that Husband's been cheating behind her back.
Wife: (SCREAMS) I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SLEEPING WITH 7 OTHER WOMEN BEHIND MY BACK?!?!!!
Husband: (calmly...thinking)...NO!! mmmm...it was ONLY 4!
Wife: ......................
ok...so let me ask you this: is 4 better than 7? I DON'T THINK SO! Will the Wife go 'oh...ok I'm so sorry I accused u of sleeping with 7 other women WHEN YOU ONLY SLEPT WITH 4'?... I DON'T THINK SO EITHER!
So ah, SF...dun worry too much la. Betta than not turning up at a interview that MIGHT just land a betta job and regretting later on. Just do wadeva you have to do. =)