Truth vs. Lie Reflective Essay Example

It is widely believed that lying is morally wrong, and we should not take part in it. However, lying can be situational, and be a valuable tool to use in certain circumstances. Both sides of the argument are valid, even so, telling the truth and avoiding lying is the best choice. Telling the truth allows people to communicate effectively and openly with people around them.  

Due to the nature of lying, people never share what they are genuinely thinking. This stops them from effectively sharing their thoughts with the person they are communicating with. For example, I asked my friend about certain instances when I could lie to her. One instance was her asking me about her appearance. “How does my hair look today?” she asked. “Honestly, I think it has looked better,” I replied. Of course, this was a fake scenario to simulate a time when telling the truth is better than lying. After the conversation, my friend and I both agreed that we both benefited from me telling her my honest thoughts. I could effectively communicate that I thought her hair had looked better on previous occasions, and she gained the knowledge of knowing that I was completely honest with her, building trust within our friendship. Along with effectively communicating my thoughts, I can now feel comfortable in future conversations by sharing my true feelings, instead of lying.  

Another aspect of telling the ruth is being able to have an open conversation with others. Without the constraints of lying, and upholding the lie, you can have a conversation that is open and honest. Back to the previous example, by telling my friend how I felt about her hair, I was being honest about my feelings and could be open about my opinions. Even if she had reacted badly to my comment, I may feel bad that I hurt her feelings, however, I do not have to carry the guilt of knowing I lied to her. Looking at the other side of this argument, lying can prevent hurt feelings, making it seem ok. I see where this point is valid, you will not upset the people you care about, and you can keep others happy. Even if you are lying to help others, you really are not helping them or yourself. Lying causes the other person to have a false sense of the situation, and makes you feel bad. Because of this, telling the truth is a more honest and beneficial approach.  

Overall, lying can be seen as a nice way to help someone feel better about a situation, but telling the truth supplies an effective and open response that can provide more help in the long run. Lying offers an escape from the confrontation of telling the truth and is often used so that people do not have to come face to face with people's reaction to their raw opinion. Telling the truth forces an honest opinion, that can allow true and real conversation.