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Originally Posted by sapiens
For example, lying to children about Santa Claus is different from lying to a partner about a sexual infidelity is different from lying to your parents about your drug use, is different from lying to a friend about whether you have plans for the weekend, is different from lying to yourself about how much time you waste on the internet. Different lies have different motives. Sometimes it's out of love, protection, or affiliation. Sometimes we lie to exploit or hurt someone else.
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I agree with you... and I think your examples are very salient. However, how does one "rank" these lies? Do we use moral reasons, health reasons, or just plain selfishness reasons? I think all of the above are breaches of integrity, personally, and would feel pretty shitty lying about any of them. Others may not feel the same way. What should be our standard? Should there be a universal expectation, or is it all relative?
Actually, how do you all define "integrity?" That's kind of what this thread is about, I think. I tend to think of integrity as having the backbone to be responsible and own up (or not lie in the first place), no matter how much your interior, crafty self is screaming at you to STAY HIDDEN. To overcome selfish and potentially harmful desires for the sake of your own good and/or others'. But that's my take. Others?