Most children are taught the virtue (美德) of honesty from stories. The well-known story of Pinocchio teaches the importance of telling the truth. Every time Pinocchio lies, his nose grows longer and longer. Another story is about the boy who "cried wolf". In the end, he loses all his sheep and the trust of his fellow villagers because he tells lies many times. These kinds of stories show children that "honesty is the best policy". Why do so many people still lie? The fact is that people lie for many reasons.
One reason people lie is to avoid a mistake. While it is true that everyone does something wrong from time to time, some people do not have the courage to admit (承认) their mistakes because they are afraid they will be punished. For example, students might lie to their teachers about unfinished homework. They might say that they left the homework at home, in fact, they did not do the homework at all. These students do not want to get in trouble, so they make up a pretense—a lie—to save face.
Another reason for lying has to do with self-protection. Parents, especially those with young children, may teach their children to use this kind of "protective" lie in certain situation. What should children do if a stranger calls while the parents are out? Many parents teach their children to explain that their mother and father are too busy to come to the phone at that time. In this situation, protective lying can mean greater safety.
People lie for many reasons, both good and bad. Lying to keep the peace or to stay safe can have good results. However, lying to stay out of trouble can lead to more trouble in the end.
