<p>Are there instances when lying is the more appropriate action than telling the truth ?</p>
<p>Essay - Lies can seem to be the right solution in uncomfortable situations,but the truth is that lying is just a temporary way out which eventually causes more problem than it seeks to resolve. This is because lies cause a disparity in trust and faith in others , making people uncertain ,and paranoid in the most extreme cases . Such rifts only cause problems in the long run . Telling the truth at all times leaves no scope for this , and helps people to be more confident in themselves and their actions. Examples that support this can be taken from the life of Mahatma Gandhi and the movie " Catch me if you can ".
Mahatma Gandhi has always been seen as a symbol of justice and honesty . These ideals were already inculcated in him in his childhood . Once ,when an education inspector was visiting his school , his teacher told him the answer to a question she would ask ,so that it would seem that education was happening correctly at the school . However , when the inspector arrived , Gandhi refused to do this . He was berated severely for this action later , but it ultimately helped in increasing the standard of education in the school , and ended up helping more people .
In the movie "Catch me if you can" , Frank Abagnale Jr. is the son of a rich businessman who starts conning people for money . In this way , lies build upon lies, and he forges a medical degree and gets married under false pretenses. The happiness he could have had with his wife is cut short when the FBI come looking for him .His actions cause immense suffering to his parents, who he makes bankrupt .In the end , he finally gives himself up ,and is kept in prison . However his cheque forging skills turn out to be so valuable that the Fbi hire him . By telling the truth , he finally gets peace in his life , marries again and lives happily to the end of his days.
From these two examples it is clearly seen that lies only complicate things, and under no circumstances do they help anyone . People might think nothing of lying to a child about his dog's death , but knowing the truth will always give him or her more closure than a lie which will make him uncertain and confused when they realise it is a lie.
Lying may seem to be the better way out in awkward situations,but these solutions are only temporary . Being honest to oneself helps one to build character and integrity ,values which will actually help in such situations.</p>