Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
by CK May is the month of flowers not just in the Philippines but also here in Calgary. A lot of my neighbors have done their spring cleaning and unfortunately I cannot cope up with them. I remember that during this time of the year my husband, Hank gets busier day by day. He takes care [...]
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Page added on May 19, 2010

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PANTS ON FIRE!

by Roger Encarnacion

There was an article in the Calgary Herald not too long ago that explored the psychology of lying. It suggested that when people lie, their noses do really grow. “A study has shown that during a deception, nasal tissues become engorged with blood, causing them to swell.”

So, Pinocchio is not alone. There are people in our midst who constantly lie, and make lying their way of life. They feel good about it. They think that a little lie here and there is not that big a deal. They will argue that it is one of the many human frailties. And the fact that everybody lies only strengthens their belief that lying is an acceptable norm.

Is lying really that rampant in our society? Our politicians lie. Our friends lie. The used car salespeople lie. Resume writers lie. The weathermen lie. Even our weigh scales lie.

But why do we lie?

Ego is one factor why people lie. They don’t like others to think that they are being left behind. In effect, they lie to themselves, splurging in the expensive lifestyles that they can’t afford, just so they can keep up with the Joneses.

Lying is also an effective tool for covering up some people’s personal deficiencies. It elevates their position, makes them feel important, and assures them of their place in the sun. But lying is a bomb that will explode in their faces once the truth comes out.

It is okay to offer the moon to the lady whose love and affection we are trying to win. It makes sense to tell a kid that a needle doesn’t hurt just so he can have immunization shots. It is understandable to make children believe in Santa and his elves. But it is not right to tell somebody that the cheque is in the mail when the opposite of it is true. It is wrong to tell an unsuspecting lady that we are single when we are very much married and have children. It is morally wrong to let our kids believe that we can afford this and that when we are up to our noses in debts.

No wonder there are many people living in this world whose noses grow bigger every day. They surely need to look themselves in the mirror to find out how long their noses have already become.

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(This article appeared in the Kabitenyo Magazine under the author’s pseudonym.)

PANTS ON FIRE!

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