Do we like to be lied to and misled?

This is both an interesting and a counter-intuitive question as I thought it should be for sure answered by a resounding “NO!”, but I only base it on my own thinking. 

My research has shown me – to my great surprise – that there are indeed instances where people appear to prefer being lied to or misled, and there are many reasons for these strange reactions. To start with, lies can provide a sense of comfort and security by shielding people from harsh realities or unpleasant truths, creating a false sense of safety and well-being.

When people hold conflicting beliefs or values, lies can help reduce those by providing simpler, more palatable justifications. Lies can also protect people from emotional pain, disappointment, or anxiety, offering a temporary escape from difficult emotions. Socially, “white lies” or social deception prove useful in maintaining social harmony, avoiding conflict, or protecting relationships. 

There’s also all the wishful thinking that is widely used by religions, where untruths, or unproven statements may align with hopes, desires, or preexisting beliefs, even if there’s no hard evidence to support them. Finally, there is the even darker side of manipulation and exploitation in which some bad actors intentionally mislead others for personal gain, power, or control. 

Now, if we had to quantify what percentage of the population falls into the above situation, it’s very hard to answer, as it's difficult to precisely measure. Suffice to say that if we take a concept like the belief in “life after death”, we’re talking about a significant portion of the population, so it’s likely that other categories are also quite significant. When placed under this light, it’s hard not to be surprised or even shocked, isn’t it? 

Tomorrow we’ll explore what can be done about that...