Ethics | Lying

According to dictionary.com definition of a lie

A lie is a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive others.

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When we deceive others with our words, we are lying to them and it will hurt them when they find out about it. Lying as we all know is bad, it kills the trust others have for us when they find out. Like they say, it takes years to build trust, but one day to destroy it. But is it all lies that are bad?

Sometimes in life, we just have to tell that lie to put things straight. This kind of lie is commonly referred to as a white lie. Mind you, I am not promoting the act of lying but trying to bring out a point.

Going through r/confession today, I came across where a mother was talking about how she told lies to her 4 years old child every Friday. In her statement, she made mention of how her child hates going to school because it's boring to him. We all know how children find it hard to leave their comfort zone all in the name of education. In order to persuade her son to go to school, she had to lie to him. She told him that, if he wakes up in the morning without fighting her and goes to school, then he can stay at home for two days out of the week. The two days are Saturday and Sunday, unknowingly to the boy that weekends are not meant for school.

Now, looking at the above scenario, did the mother do well by telling lies to her 4 years old son?

In my opinion, the mother did wrong by telling lies to her child. One day the child will definitely find out that his mother has been telling lies to him since all these years and he might never trust his mother again, breaking the trust that he once had for her. Besides, this is a mother that should be teaching her son not to lie but, she's bringing him up on the foundation of lie.

She should have made the child see the reason why he needs to go to school or promise to get him more toys or whatever he likes just to make him go to school.

While looking at it from another perspective, some of us will say that its ok for her to lie. Let me see your comments and opinion about the above scenario