Sat Question- Can a Lie Be Justified?
There are circumstances in which it is better to lie. In life we sometimes avoid the truth in order to prevent people from getting hurt. I do not believe lies should be used only for our convenience because that is wrong and selfish. If a small lie is told with intentions of protecting someone, than that is acceptable. In the book, My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult, the mother does not tell her daughter that her boyfriend has passed away. When the daughter asks where he has been, she simply brushes it off as if she does not have any idea. The mother acted clueless in order to shield her daughter from pain and remorse. Eventually her mother told her the truth when she built up the courage. In a case like this, I do not think it’s wrong to tell a lie when you are looking out for someone’s best interests. Sometimes people lie to their advantage and end up paying for their wrongdoing in the end. I once had a friend when I was younger who constantly lied to me about anything one could think of. When I was young and vulnerable I would always believe her, but one day every lie she told came back to haunt her. She ended up hurting me in the long run and lost my trust as a friend. I am positive she regrets the lies she once told that gave her the reputation she withholds. All in all, I think a lie can be justified depending on the situation. Not everything in life goes the way it should and we often try to cover that up. With good intentions, no one will get hurt, with bad intentions- a negative outcome is almost