Please reflect on these questions and answer each as honestly as you can. If any question upsets you, ask yourself “Why?” Is it the question? or, Is it what your truthful answer would be?
There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to lying—a trait unique to human beings.
Being Lied To
How do you know when you’ve been lied to? Why do you allow yourself to be lied to?
What is it about human nature that craves being lied to, time and time again?
Would you admit out loud that you did believe the lie?
What does it says about you and your motivations that you believe and accept liars and their obvious, easily disprovable lies?
Are you gullible/stupid/naive? Afraid to call them out? Needy of what they have? Agree with the lie, wishing it were true? Don’t care?
Is that why you enable and empower liars? To fulfill something inside of you?
Institutional Lying
Is a lie of commission greater than a lie of omission? Why?
Where does that leave the judicial system where exculpatory or inculpatory information is oftentimes compelled to be withheld? Freed or convicted based on a sanctioned lie.Is justice being served? For whom?
Do you now have to include education in the institutional lying group? Or has it always been a part of the culture?
It is proven that history as written by the victor comprises may lies. What about the truth of the defeated? Does it matter, after all, it’s just history?
Why are some lies celebrated—Santa Claus—and some lies vilified—infidelity? Isn’t any lie just a lie? Who decides?
Is religion based on lies? Who gains? Who loses?
Is it easier for the religious to accept liars and their lies? Why?
Does the promise of forgiveness enable religious liars? Does this make their lying acceptable?
Protection
How do you safeguard yourself in a culture of lies?
Are there rules for surviving in our world of institutionalized lying—politics, religion, government, education, advertising, justice system (and we’re just scratching the surface here)?
Where do you turn to when your leaders, the protectors of truth, liberty, and justice are themselves liars? Who do you trust? Who can you trust?
How many time must a lie be told (to you) before it becomes the truth?
Where do you turn to when your leaders—the protectors of truth, liberty, and justice—are themselves liars? Who do you trust? Who can you trust?
Fighting Back
To what extent do/should you play the lying game yourself?
Do you need to teach your children how to play the lying game in order for them to survive? Have they learnt already? Did they learn from you?
How do you show your children where to draw the line? Do you have a line? Write it down.
Do you always comply? When won’t you? Write it down.
What do you tell yourself when you start to believe what you’ve always knew to be a lie?
Could you survive in a world based on truth?
Done thinking about it?
Review your answers. What do they reveal about you? Is this what you truly believe? It’s only you and yourself in this moment, so don’t lie to yourself.
