Wehaveoftenbeenpreachedbyolderfolks:parents,family,teachersandevenfriendsagainstlying.Oursocietyfunctionsbythepremisethatwewillnotlietodeceiveothersortomalignthemormisconstrueadifferentrealityotherthanwhatis.Thejusticesystemespeciallydependsontheassuranceorre-assuranceoftruth,at-leastinprinciple.Butimagineifyouweretotakeasworntestimonyatthemomentyouwereborntosticktotruthandnothingbutthetruth.Let’sputourimaginationtotest.Let’simagineaworldwithoutlies:ToswearbyAlmightyGodthatwewilltellthetruth,thewholetruthandnothingbutthetruth.Imaginethatno-oneeverspeaksasinglelieinhis/herlife.Willtherebenodisputes,nomisunderstandingsandnoinjustice?Yes,wehaveallhadthewildtheoryinourheadsbefore,maybeonaquietmorning,arainyday,maybeattheeveningteastall.Wehaveallwished“Oh,ifonlyno-oneliedinthisworld!”MyrecentmusingbecamevividasIrecalledamovieIwatchedsomeyearsbackcalled“TheInventionofLying”.Itisacomedybutdefinitelynotoneofthoseslapstickromanticcomediesorthewannabe-Hangovermovies.ThisRickyGervaisandJenniferGarnerstarrerpresentsanalternateworldwhereno-oneknowshowtolie.Inthisworldpeoplesaytheabsolutetruthtoeachother,oftenseenas“cruel”inourworldlystandards.SoGarnertellsGervaisontheirdatethatsheisnotattractedtohim,becauseofhislooksandunsuccessfulfinancialsituationandbecauseshedoesn’twantherbabiestohavehisuglylooksandhisstubnose.Gervais’characterisascriptwriterwholaterbecomestheonlypersononearthwhocanlieandhetakesadvantageofit,(ethicallyasheassureshimself)firsttogetthegirl,thentomakemoney.This2009moviedidn’tgodowntoowellformoviecriticsforthedirection.ButIpersonallythinkithadanamazingoriginalconcept.Aworldwithoutlies:Averysimplethoughtwithoverwhelmingpossibilities.Butdowewanttohearthetruthallthetime?Ihardlythinkso.Dowewanttobecalledfatorunattractiveorintellectuallychallengedevenwhenweare?Canwestomachunadulteratedtruth?Oraretheseso-called“low-blowinsults”onlyconstructsofa“personality-conscious”society?Abidingbyabsolutetruthswillbequiteaherculeantasktopursue.Wewillnotbeabletooutwitphysicallystrongerorgeneticallysuperiorpeople.Peoplewilleitheracceptfellowmenandwomenwiththeirinnatenegativethoughtsorevilintentionsortheywillbetreatedasoutcastsasperthelevelofacceptance.Wewillhaveadifferentperspectiveofwhat“perfection”isorwhatidealhumantraitsare.Wewillbeempirical,practicalandseeminglyhatefulmosttimes.Thoughitisclearlysubjectiveonwhatabsolutetruthimpliesfordifferentpeople.Truthhasmanyperspectivesandmanyinterpretations.Aglasshalffullisalsohalfempty.Becauseeventrulyhonestpeoplefindsolaceatthefactthatlyingforsomeoneelse’sgoodisaforgivablelie.Butallinall,wouldIexchangethisworldwithaworldwithoutanylies?Perhapsnot.Humanshavenotbeenthemostoptimisticcreaturesonearth.Iwouldn’thavepeopletellingmeofthedrudgeryoflifeandtheimpendingoblivionafterdeath,evenifitbetheirowntruths.Itwillbequiteadepressingplacetolivein.