Monday, March 1, 2010
Was it Heaven or Hell?
After reading "Was it Heaven or Was it Hell?" I have found myself thinking about lies and how they can be beneficiary or malicious in one way or another. I took the story as another "parable" by Twain, whom I believe thinks that lying is a natural human action but some positive things can arise from such lies. When the doctor lies about Margaret being well, I originally thought he was trying to make the situation easier and give the girl some hope. However, the doctor seems blunt to me and explains that every person lies. Based on the exercise we did in class, I guess it sort of supports that. No one in the class denied doing the exercise saying they haven't told a lie recently. There were some doozies, but it just proves that people lie every day. As my mother told me, one lie leads to another and I am certainly guilty of that. Is it right to tell a lie that can help someone? I remember growing up having a blue parakeet named Joe. I really loved that bird. However, one morning I went to uncover him as I did every day, and I saw him on the floor. My mother told me he was just taking a nap and tired of being on the stick all day. When I returned from school, (kindergarden) "Joe" was back on the stick looking younger and revitalized. I guess sometimes the truth hurts too much.
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2 comments:
This is a pretty heavy subject, but totally relevant. I feel like we are somewhat raised in a sea of lies from the day we learn to signal/understand emotions through language. When you were talking about your bird it immediately made me think of the one overriding lie Christians relay to their children for their entire childhood: Santa Claus. One specific Christmas, when I was about 9 or 10, I asked for a hot pink remote controlled Barbie convertible. The night before Christmas I ran into my mom's closet to ask her something and she shouted for me to quickly leave. Right at that moment of whipping around to follow her instructions, I saw the pink car. The next day present was wrapped up with a card from Santa Claus. I re-read the card about seven times and reassured myself that it was indeed attached to the present that was in my mom's closet the night before. I wanted to keep my mouth shut maybe to deny that this man was merely a figment, but instead I told my mom that I knew he wasn't real. I was not necessarily angry at my mom for fabricating this story, but I remember wondering what else our parents lie about.
This can be a very serious moment for a lot of children and I think it may be one of those lies that many people feel is justified. Also, it is a lie that many feel socially pressured to be enforced, because if one set of parents does not enforce it then their kid is the one who goes to school and lets the cat out of the bag. Funny how this lie has been so strongly enforced over time. How do we get out of this one?
After the class activity I learned that many people tell lies everyday, usually small ones, in order to get out of doing something they don't want to do. I agree that lies add up on top of each other, but I think it is some times better to tell a lie to give some one hope or ease their mind even just for a moment. If the world was totally honest all the time, I think people would walk around sad and upset, because some times you just need some one to say you are having a good hair day, even if you aren't.
- Chelsie
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