ELUL 19
"The English language has 112 words for deception, according to one count, each with a different shade of meaning: collusion, fakery, malingering, self-deception, confabulation, prevarication, exaggeration, denial. Lies can be verbal or nonverbal, kindhearted or self-serving, devious or baldfaced; they can be lies of omission or lies of commission; they can be lies that undermine national security or lies that make a child feel better. And each type might involve a unique neural pathway." (Looking for the Lie, by Robin Marantz Henig, 2006)
I have held onto this article since it was published 11 years ago to remind myself that even if we think that lying is a part of maturation, manners, or other niceties of social graces, we have altered our understanding of truth, and we have to acknowledge its impact.
We can rationalize those times when we haven't been completely honest: "You look great!", "The food is delicious," "I really wish I could come to your party, but I can't," may not be truthful responses when spoken, but we think of them as appropriate, even if untrue, or you don't really believe it.
To do: Think about the ways you might lie. Are they kindhearted lies to protect someone's feelings, or are they stories that have the potential to spin out of control? Where is the boundary between those categories and how, might we enter the new year recognizing the difference in order to avoid the latter? Might our everyday lies become more malicious? What do we need to do to ensure that they don't?
Return to Elul Meditations main page
I have held onto this article since it was published 11 years ago to remind myself that even if we think that lying is a part of maturation, manners, or other niceties of social graces, we have altered our understanding of truth, and we have to acknowledge its impact.
We can rationalize those times when we haven't been completely honest: "You look great!", "The food is delicious," "I really wish I could come to your party, but I can't," may not be truthful responses when spoken, but we think of them as appropriate, even if untrue, or you don't really believe it.
To do: Think about the ways you might lie. Are they kindhearted lies to protect someone's feelings, or are they stories that have the potential to spin out of control? Where is the boundary between those categories and how, might we enter the new year recognizing the difference in order to avoid the latter? Might our everyday lies become more malicious? What do we need to do to ensure that they don't?
Return to Elul Meditations main page