“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” -Abraham Lincoln
In my short lifetime I have heard the phrases “Always tell the truth” and “The truth will set you free”. Also as a child consequences for lying were substantially more serious than other naughty deeds.
In the recent film Easy A, a fairly shy high school girl get tied up in a situation where she lies to make someone else look better in the eyes of their peers. One thing leads to another and before she knows it, she has lied for a half dozen people, while at the same time making a false, negative reputation for herself. She digs herself in a hole and she doesn’t know how to get out.
Like Abraham Lincoln said, “You cannot fool all people all the time”. You may be able to trick people for a while, but it won’t take long for them to see through your scheme. The truth may be insane or even devastating sometimes but the reward for telling the truth is much more desirable than the consequences of telling a lie.
These ideas are seen in Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman. Willy Lowman is the main character and he continually lies to make himself look like an upper class successful person. When in reality his whole life is barely hanging on by a thread. His two sons look up to him because he is their father, however Willy Lowman is not exactly a positive influence. He is more like a “Do as I say, not as i do” because he is the ultimate hypocrite!
Honesty is the best policy. The truth always wins, plus you will feel better for having a clear conscience.
References
Kennedy, X.J. & Giola, D. (1999). Critical approaches to literature. Literature:An introduction to fiction, poetry, and drama. New York: Longman.
Miller, A. (1949). Death of a salesman. New York: Penguin.
