Many people know the story about George Washington’s honesty. As a little boy, George chopped down a cherry tree with his shiny new axe. When confronted by his father, he immediately admitted his guilt, stating, “I cannot tell a lie.” However, many historians believe this never happened, so the tale itself is a lie!

Children are often told, “Honesty is the best policy.” They are taught that lying is highly unethical. Once someone conceives of you as a liar, trust may be permanently lost. Everything you say to that person from then on may seem suspicious. Lying is not just unethical; it is also bad for your reputation.

Nonetheless, research shows that people lie frequently and that about half of lies are not detected. What do you do if a friend asks if you like her new haircut, and you don’t? What if your mom spends hours cooking, and then you hate the meal? Many people think that lying may be ethical if it is a small lie to protect someone’s feelings. These “social lies” are sometimes rationalized as polite.

Sometimes historical truth is suppressed or twisted to support national pride. For example, Christopher Columbus engaged in many brutal practices toward Native Americans, but U.S. history has often portrayed him as a hero for “discovering America.” Also, many people are wrongly taught that the Civil War in America was fought over states’ rights. Historical documents show that it was fought over slavery. This kind of lie or misrepresentation usually exists either to protect someone’s power or to protect feelings. People might avoid talking about historical facts that would make them feel guilty or critical of their ancestors. These misrepresentations are then passed on to younger generations. Over time, people become unaware of the truth and may be less willing to believe it.

Sometimes people lie to benefit themselves. Lying to your teacher by telling them you saw another classmate cheat is unethical, but lying to protect your classmate’s feelings may appear friendly and polite. It seems that our ideas about lying are flexible and depend on who benefits from the lie.

Imagine that your friend Jared showed you a hunting knife that his grandfather had given him. You promised not to tell anyone he had it, because knives aren’t allowed at school. You agreed to keep his secret because you knew how proud the knife made him. However, later the knife was found on the playground. Your teacher asked you, “Do you know whose knife this is?” How would you answer? Would you lie to protect your friend? Or would you tell your teacher, which means you lied to Jared about keeping his secret? When is it okay to lie?