Limelight: Born to deceive By Lubna Abdel Aziz Is there anyone in this world who does not exaggerate... occasionally? Do we deceive consciously, unconsciously, or is it simply in our genes? Should we be reminded that we are all the children of Eve, the first deceiver in history? Why then is deception reprehensible and morally unacceptable? A code of ethics, rules and laws, drawn up by societies and religions have attempted to control this urge to deceive, which would lead to chaos and destruction. Yet deception is rampant amongst all classes in today's amoral societies. Regardless of the status and economic standard of a given country, lies and corruption flourish through the corridors of government office buildings, of honorable leaders, renowned governors and illustrious heads of state. How about noble historians, diplomats and spies? A velvet cloak of virtue, designed by the same societies, is flung over their deception, blessed with such superlative descriptions as skilled, charismatic, smart, slick, crafty or clever. Deception is an affair of the senses and not of reason. What reason would permit a lofty nation to elect an avowed adulterer, cheater and liar, not once, but twice. Bill Clinton is stilled treated with reverence and devotion, after emphatically stating: " I did not have a sexual relation with this woman, Monica Lewinsky" Psychologist Charles Ford explains, that deception as a social skill, is not only acceptable, but admirable. Charm, power and deceit are a lethal combination. The baton has been passed over to the sitting president of the US, who has advanced the cause of Deception, immeasurably. Not a day passes without Obama not being caught in a blatant lie, or should we be merciful and call it an untruth! When the deception remains uncovered, the deceiver is emboldened. During his tenure, Obama has promised heaven and earth to almost everyone, leaving us all thoroughly perplexed about his true nature and ideology. Take his stand on the Arab-Israeli conflict. How often has he vowed to support the Arab struggle for human rights, and periodically declares his trust and lasting friendship with Israel, their strongest ally in the Middle- East. His position stands well with neither partym yet his deception is called by none.. Is this unique to US Presidents? By no means! They have no monopoly over deception. We accuse all heads of state, all politicians as perpetrators of hyperbole and mendacity.. Even men of faith, men of God, engage in dishonesty and falsehood. The Bible is replete with acts of treachery and deception, starting with Eve. Islam condemns liars. The Holy Prophet Mohammed declared that he who lies, is no Muslim. Lying can lead to crime. Little "white lies" soon acquire a darker hue. Is it conceivable that presidential candidate Hazem Abou Ismail had no clue that his mother was not an American citizen? Despite conclusive proof, he continues to deny it. Harmony of opinion amongst psychologists is alarming. All agree that lying and cheating is rampant. Most agree that it is part of life in today's societies. Psychologist Charles Ford believes, as Plato did, the: Everything that deceives may be said to enchant". Politicians have made good use of this doctrine. The practice is widespread and has become accepted, even necessary political technique. People with a certain authority can say anything without question, to an adoring public. We participate by deceiving ourselves, which is one of the major form of deception, as Goethe said: " We are never deceived. We deceive ourselves". In his book, "Lies, Lies, Lies: The Psychology of Deception", Charles Ford believes we ae the ones to choose not to tell the truth. Children are habitual liars, and learn early how to deceive parents and peers. Behavioral Scientist Wendy Gamble, of the University of Arizona states that children show a surprisingly sophisticated understanding of lying as a communication and relationship tool. Boys and girls lie equally and quickly learn that, "I didn't do it", opens doors and helps escape punishment. According to Michael Lewis, in his book, "Lying and Deception", 66 per cent of American children lie by age 3, and rises to 98 per cent by age 7. This, he claims, proves that lying is a learned skill which starts quite early, and grows as we grow. It is a survival mechanism, programmed in our genes. Motivated by greed, vanity, fear or hate, it is a defensive tool, used for our own protection. Silence may be golden, but when silence accepts deception, it is an accomplice. The cruelest liesare told in silence.You can sugar the poison, but the poison is in the sugar. Why do courts require us to take an oath of truth? They do not trust us to offer it freely. Yet how many oaths have been broken in the name of Justice. We all learn the mystic language of untruths. The key is not to be discovered, and if discovered, a permissive society will easily forgive and forget. We are surrounded by lies, untruths or half-truths. Bending the truth is a skill used by the inundation of false advertising, false politicians and false prophets. There are lies galore to choose from: Lies of malice, of carelessness, of fear, of profit, of silence are we to choose? Is it possible to choose the path of integrity and honesty? Where will it take us? It is a sad world, and these are sad times when lying and deception are declared normal behavior! Do we acquiesce? God forbid! Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on". -- Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
