SLAS Times Q2 2019-2020 SLAS Times: Fall 2019 | Page 9

The Benefits of Lying
by Jannah Karyl Angeles
S
tudents usually lie to get out of trouble, to gain a
reward, or to do something that’s prohibited.
Although lying is perceived as being morally wrong,
there are plenty of situations, such as avoiding con-
frontations and making a good first impression, in
which it can benefit people.
told my teacher that I forgot it and I’ll bring it the next
day.” This student finished her homework that night
and turned it in late the next day. Despite being late,
the assignment was given a perfect grade.
Lying in school is considered to be immoral; how-
ever, when students lie, it doesn’t necessarily mean
Students choose to lie to escape punishments and that they are bad people. According to Kang Lee, a
consequences, but they mostly lie to “sugar coat” professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Edu-
things to avoid hurting their friends’ or classmates’ cation, “When you look at the two skills important for
feelings. This kind of lie is called a white lie, and it is a lying [self-control and theory of mind] these are fun-
harmless, well-intentioned untruth. White lies make damental cognitive skills that humans must have to
people less vulnerable to pain, and they are consid- survive in society.” Lee added, “The earlier one learns
ered to be an essential part of social communication. to deceive, the better.”
A student who requested to be anonymous reports Although lying can be deceiving, it is still a normal
benefiting from lying to a teacher. “One time I didn’t part of growing up. At some point in life, students
do my homework because I was very tired, so I just need to be able to deceive and spot deception.