Spring Break
Student survey has people wondering how to classify lies
Furrah Qureshi
Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: Ed-Op
I think I'm a liar.
Sometimes I tell people I want to go to law school after college when what I really want to do is take a year off to tour with the Arcade Fire, playing harmonica for them while reading Camus on my down time and sleeping in a cabinet on their tour bus. But the fact that I have no idea what I will be doing after graduation facilitates this lie. I'm pretty certain I will not be joining the Arcade Fire on tour. Because really, what I want to do and what I tell people I am going to do are both lies. There is truth in both of those statements, just two diametrically opposed truths - but does that make either any less sincere? Any more honest? Any more fallacious?
Over the past week I conducted a survey of over 200 college students from various universities, asking how many times a week a person lied, whether it be less than five or over 40 and anything in between - to create a frame of reference. And only after sending the survey out did I realize how absurd it was to ask people to tell the truth about lies.
The only conclusion I've reached from my data is that data is inconclusive.
"Hyperbolizing counts, doesn't it?" asked Temple freshman Amber Ricks.
Fellow Temple student Rich Pymer wondered if sarcasm counted; and countless students grappled with whether or not to include white lies.
An evocative response came from a neuroscience major at Vassar University who said, "I estimate that I tell the truth less than five times a week. I'll leave it at that. If anyone legitimately claims to lie less than five times a week, count that as one of their five. And I mean come on people; this isn't the U.S. justice system. Just because it's white doesn't mean you can let it go."
Janelle Richardson of Mercer University justifies "30 to 40" lies a week shrewdly by saying, "Lying comes in handy quite often. It's a defense mechanism, a means of escaping menial tasks and awkward situations ... Also, it is highly effective when trying to avoid panhandlers, horny men, and/or invasions of privacy."
Sometimes I tell people I want to go to law school after college when what I really want to do is take a year off to tour with the Arcade Fire, playing harmonica for them while reading Camus on my down time and sleeping in a cabinet on their tour bus. But the fact that I have no idea what I will be doing after graduation facilitates this lie. I'm pretty certain I will not be joining the Arcade Fire on tour. Because really, what I want to do and what I tell people I am going to do are both lies. There is truth in both of those statements, just two diametrically opposed truths - but does that make either any less sincere? Any more honest? Any more fallacious?
Over the past week I conducted a survey of over 200 college students from various universities, asking how many times a week a person lied, whether it be less than five or over 40 and anything in between - to create a frame of reference. And only after sending the survey out did I realize how absurd it was to ask people to tell the truth about lies.
The only conclusion I've reached from my data is that data is inconclusive.
"Hyperbolizing counts, doesn't it?" asked Temple freshman Amber Ricks.
Fellow Temple student Rich Pymer wondered if sarcasm counted; and countless students grappled with whether or not to include white lies.
An evocative response came from a neuroscience major at Vassar University who said, "I estimate that I tell the truth less than five times a week. I'll leave it at that. If anyone legitimately claims to lie less than five times a week, count that as one of their five. And I mean come on people; this isn't the U.S. justice system. Just because it's white doesn't mean you can let it go."
Janelle Richardson of Mercer University justifies "30 to 40" lies a week shrewdly by saying, "Lying comes in handy quite often. It's a defense mechanism, a means of escaping menial tasks and awkward situations ... Also, it is highly effective when trying to avoid panhandlers, horny men, and/or invasions of privacy."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Lucas A. Weaver
posted 2/08/08 @ 2:45 PM EST
'Honest' or trustworthy individuals cheat & lie?
Post a Comment