The Truth About Lies

I had the realization recently that there is some necessary fine print that should be applied to self-deception. A caveat with falsehoods we tell ourselves:

You can’t talk yourself out of your own lies.

Oops—and we had assumed that the things we wrongly believe might be self-refuting at the appropriate moment. But they’re good lies for the very reason that we believe them. Usually, someone else has to shake us awake.

This fact casts some light on the illogical indignation people feel when they are told that they believe something without adequate reason. Lies, held tight to the vest over long periods of time, sink roots into people.

It’s not that we want to be hoodwinked. It’s the thought that we could be that drives us up the wall. Conclusion: we should defend our positions with humility, and probe potentially malignant perspectives with care. Moreover: In a world where self-delusion tends to thrive, other-worldly revelation is all the more vital.

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