”The Ways We Lie” by Stephanie Ericcson

            The Ways We Lie written by Stephanie Ericcson, explains ten specific lies that she believes are prevalent in our day-to-day lives.

   The reading begins by The White Lie, being the most harmless lie. Ericsson believes telling the truth could impose more damage than a simple, harmless lie. The intensity of a white lie being harmful depends on the circumstances. As thoughtful as it sounds a white lie is still deceiving someone.

The next reading, Facades is changing your behavior while avoiding the real truth. The author tells how people are often up-front about unimportant issues and not revealing the couple of very important details that changes everything.

Another way people are able to deceive is by Ignoring the Plain Facts. Ericsson uses the Catholic Church’s knowledge of Father Porter’s obsession with children and their denial of the issue to show how ignoring the facts can be considered lying. The result of this lie was hundreds of more children were molested because the church chose to move him to another parish instead of facing the problem and dismissing Father Porter.

Ericsson uses Clarence Thomas example to explain when someone gets accused of something, an often brilliant type of lie to do is deflect the lie. Deflecting is when you completely turn things around by either changing the subject or taking the offensive.

Dismissal is the most slippery of all lies. Sometimes things occur throughout our day that can keep us down all day, but by dismissing them for the time being, it allows you to go through your day happy and not affected. When others are experiencing something that causes anxiety, pain, or fear one usually tries to calm them by lying and telling the complete opposite of the truth.

Lastly, Delusion is a form of dismissal. We make up excuses and believe they are facts to help us in life. Delusion is also a survival mechanism we all use.