Saroj Gopal Regmi

Lying increases the creative faculties, expands the ego, and lessens the frictions of social contacts.” These words of enlightenment by American diplomat Clare Boothe Luce really sum up one of my findings on life. No wonder Clare was a great diplomat. Even though almost all the moral books tell us that lying is a sin and everyone should only speak the truth, I have always agreed to disagree with this preposition and I consider it rather hypocritical. Some of the people think the word “lying” is a bit harsh. Embellishing or adorning would be a better term. I am more of a guy who carries a belief that this world is based on adornments or embellishments. Politicians who are the backbone of a society lie big time. Have they all fulfilled their vows that they took before the election? To be a people’s man, everyone needs to lie. Failing to lie will make you an outcast. Imagine your uncle’s face when you tell your neighbour that he thinks she is a hippopotamus!

Or imagine telling your wife that you find Anna Kournikova to your liking. Wouldn’t you rather tell your wife that she looks a lot better than Anna and she should be the one walking the ramp? Lying is just rampant. It is probably so because of the fact that lying has been a tradition for ages. We all live on lies. Sometimes we lie to others and sometimes even to ourselves to escape from the unwanted past memories. Without lying, you either would be an ascetic or a wacko!

As the saying goes “Truth is bitter,” everyone likes to hear the sugar-coated version of things so it is always advisable to embellish things. So I don’t think this small bit of embellishing is any sin. Actually, lying is an art; an art only a few have been able to master. The smoother you get at lying, the smoother and frictionless your life becomes. Wouldn’t like to use a bit of your vivid imagination while writing a curriculum vitae? But the main idea of this embellishment is that you don’t cheat or hurt others.

From the legendary Yudhisthira to the influential politicians like Bill Clinton, everyone has had to lie. So how can you escape from this quandary! If someone claims that he has never lied in his life than that probably is the biggest lie in itself. Lies are essential aspects of everyone’s lives. I find myself to be quite a glib and an incorrigible liar! So next time anyone asks you about his or her new haircut, don’t hesitate to make use of your imagination. Embellish a little. Make him or her comfortable. After all, a small lie couldn’t possibly hurt anybody. Could it?