File #1106: "Mosaic_Spring_2004_28.jpg"
Description
Liar, Liar
Jennifer Woodford
Few people would consider themselves liars. However, when taking into account all of the different types of liars, virtually everyone fits into one category or another. Whether lying to avoid being hurtful or to benefit yourself, you are still lying. Based on reason, significance, and intention, liars can be divided into different categories.
White lies are the most frequently told and the least hurtful. In fact, white lies are almost always told to spare a person's feelings. People-pleasers are the most likely to tell white lies. Telling others what they want to hear is the main reason that people-pleasers lie, not bad intentions. Assuring a woman that she does not look fat in her new outfit, even if she does, is a perfect example of a white lie. Though not completely honest, white lies often do more good than harm.
Many people lie by making excuses. These liars pretend to be busy or ill in order to avoid doing something or going somewhere. For instance, the mother who pretends her child is sick as a way to politely decline a party invitation is using an excuse as a means of lying. The person has good intentions and does not want to hurt others by saying no. Coincidentally, this type of lie is one of the most excusable ones.
The next type of liar is the person who lies simply to impress other people. Many impressive liars do not consider themselves as lying, but exaggerating. A well-known example of this type of lie is embellishing the details of a story to make it more interesting to the listener. While impressive liars tend to be misleading, the person being lied to is rarely affected in a negative way.
Another type of liar is the person who lies to relate to other people. Though similar to the impressive liars, relatable liars are less fixated on impressing and more concerned with merely fitting in. Most relatable liars are very self-conscious and fear being ridiculed. These individuals often fib in order to feel more accepted by their peers. In order to create a common ground between the liar and others in the conversation, the liars tend to agree with any opinion or attitude shared with them. However, relatable liars eventually become more secluded because they do not express their true opinions, denying others the chance to actually get to know the liar. Therefore, the relatable liar suffers more than the victims.
People who intentionally leave out important details of an event are known as selective liars. While not completely fabricat- ing stories, these people do not tell the whole truth. Selective liars are usually lying to prevent themselves from being implicated in a wrongdoing. In order to avoid being caught cheating, a man may tell his wife that he ate dinner with a friend. By choosing to leave out the fact that this friend was actually his mistress, he has told a selective lie. These lies vary in significance. A woman neglecting to tell her husband exactly how much money she spent on a shop- ping trip is a far cry from a lie to conceal infidelity. Depending on the unmentioned detail, selective lies can be very hurtful to the victim.
Compulsive or pathological liars are the most rare and extreme type of liars. People who tell these lies often suffer from a psychological problem, which makes them unaware of lying. The majority of lies told by compulsive liars are usually very obvious and easily detected. Reasons for these lies can be unknown or without reason. The lie itself varies greatly in significance, from a tall tale to a blatant lie. Pathological liars do not acknowledge the
Jennifer Woodford
Few people would consider themselves liars. However, when taking into account all of the different types of liars, virtually everyone fits into one category or another. Whether lying to avoid being hurtful or to benefit yourself, you are still lying. Based on reason, significance, and intention, liars can be divided into different categories.
White lies are the most frequently told and the least hurtful. In fact, white lies are almost always told to spare a person's feelings. People-pleasers are the most likely to tell white lies. Telling others what they want to hear is the main reason that people-pleasers lie, not bad intentions. Assuring a woman that she does not look fat in her new outfit, even if she does, is a perfect example of a white lie. Though not completely honest, white lies often do more good than harm.
Many people lie by making excuses. These liars pretend to be busy or ill in order to avoid doing something or going somewhere. For instance, the mother who pretends her child is sick as a way to politely decline a party invitation is using an excuse as a means of lying. The person has good intentions and does not want to hurt others by saying no. Coincidentally, this type of lie is one of the most excusable ones.
The next type of liar is the person who lies simply to impress other people. Many impressive liars do not consider themselves as lying, but exaggerating. A well-known example of this type of lie is embellishing the details of a story to make it more interesting to the listener. While impressive liars tend to be misleading, the person being lied to is rarely affected in a negative way.
Another type of liar is the person who lies to relate to other people. Though similar to the impressive liars, relatable liars are less fixated on impressing and more concerned with merely fitting in. Most relatable liars are very self-conscious and fear being ridiculed. These individuals often fib in order to feel more accepted by their peers. In order to create a common ground between the liar and others in the conversation, the liars tend to agree with any opinion or attitude shared with them. However, relatable liars eventually become more secluded because they do not express their true opinions, denying others the chance to actually get to know the liar. Therefore, the relatable liar suffers more than the victims.
People who intentionally leave out important details of an event are known as selective liars. While not completely fabricat- ing stories, these people do not tell the whole truth. Selective liars are usually lying to prevent themselves from being implicated in a wrongdoing. In order to avoid being caught cheating, a man may tell his wife that he ate dinner with a friend. By choosing to leave out the fact that this friend was actually his mistress, he has told a selective lie. These lies vary in significance. A woman neglecting to tell her husband exactly how much money she spent on a shop- ping trip is a far cry from a lie to conceal infidelity. Depending on the unmentioned detail, selective lies can be very hurtful to the victim.
Compulsive or pathological liars are the most rare and extreme type of liars. People who tell these lies often suffer from a psychological problem, which makes them unaware of lying. The majority of lies told by compulsive liars are usually very obvious and easily detected. Reasons for these lies can be unknown or without reason. The lie itself varies greatly in significance, from a tall tale to a blatant lie. Pathological liars do not acknowledge the