Lying is a method of deception and can be used inappropriately. It does not matter who but a person may steal another’s freedom of choosing rationally. But a lie may be used appropriately and could be used to benefit others rather than oneself. Lying may be the solution to some problems, even though consequences may await, but is inevitable in life and the existence of this sin has brought an unhealthy habit to our current society. A habit that has been here since the beginning of time cannot be broken, therefore lying should be received as acceptable in some situations.

Greed is existing in everyone, and will tempt many to fulfill their desires with cheat methods, such as lying. But people may be able to use it to help another in any way possible. In fact, it can be used to minimize harm and maximize benefit, as once spoken by Tim C. Mazur,“...lying is necessary to maximize benefit or minimize harm, it may be immoral not to lie.” Mazur believes that lying can be used to help out many people in a difficult situation. It may provide people less harm and more benefits by the use of lying. Therefore it can be seen as a selfless decision and should be accepted in some situations, making lying to be acceptable to be used.

Although lying may benefit people greatly, it may also be seen as the incorrect action to use at a situation. A lie could be seen as robbing another’s freedom to choose rationally. The lies spoken may interfere with a person’s life and change one’s fate, like it or not. A person’s future may change through the lie that has greatly impacted the life of that person. As Mazur said,“this dignity derives from the fact that humans are uniquely rational agents, capable of freely making their own decisions, setting their own goals, and guiding their conduct by reason.” Mazur is interpreting everyone has a choice of picking a decision. While Kant says “To be human, is to have the rational power of choice, to be ethical, he continued, is to respect the power in oneself and others.” Kant believes that a part of being human is that a person has the choice to pick rationally and to do so you must respect oneself and others. Therefore, lying is a way to disrespect oneself and others since lying is robbing another person‘s choice and even lying to yourself means that you are disrespecting yourself for not being honest. Overall, lying is acceptable sometimes rather than never or always, because it can be used to maximize benefit and minimize harm.

But the truth should be revealed most times because it may change one’s future and is an action of deceiving and disrespecting others and oneself.

<Ashley Choi Granada Hills Charter High School 10th Grad>