From White Lies To Black Holes, Here Are 30 Times People Lied Themselves Into Trouble

WebMD notes that there is a difference between dishonesty and pathological lying. Usually, there’s a clear reason for lying, some goal that the individual is trying to achieve. However, pathological liars often spin the truth “for no good reason.” For instance, they might make up stories or constantly exaggerate real events.

The consequences? Not so great. They can end up ruining their relationships or losing their jobs. Interestingly enough, not all pathological liars are the same. Some admit that they were lying when confronted with the truth. Others, however, firmly believe their own lies!

If you know someone very well, you probably know how their body language changes when they’re dishonest. Otherwise, if you suspect someone is lying to you, look for contradictions in their stories. Meanwhile, look for details in the person’s story that can’t be verified. Furthermore, if the tale you hear is excessively long or overly dramatic, then it’s either a lie or the truth’s been exaggerated a great deal. Real life is often messy and the ‘script’ doesn’t match that of a movie.

Harvard Business Review explains that underneath our (un)intentional lies are various unmet needs that we should strive to identify. Then, we can look for healthier ways to fulfill those needs instead of telling fibs.

Another important step when caught in a lie is to assess just how much your credibility has suffered. Look at how the people around you respond to you. For example, they might ask for your opinion less, you might not get invited to certain meetings, and you might no longer be asked to join in on new projects.

If you have a reputation for lying and want to be known as someone trustworthy, then you’ll inevitably have to put in the effort to be more honest and humble from now on. Your reputation won’t get better overnight, though, so don’t have any illusions about that. Words are wind; it’s easy to make promises about how you’ll change. Real change requires consistent honesty and transparency over a long period of time.

Lying—or rather getting caught in a lie—isn’t just embarrassing. It can also be socially devastating. In short, if you’re constantly bending the truth, you’re burning bridges and damaging your reputation. If you’re known as dishonest, untrustworthy, and lacking commitment in your social circle and among your colleagues and clients, why would they want to have anything in common with you?

You might notice your career prospects suffering. You might start feeling socially isolated because you’re not seen as great company at family dinners and friends’ parties.

On top of that, you might find that any relationships that you do make are superficial: why would anyone open up to you if they know that you won’t be honest in return? Deep relationships require a give-and-take dynamic and vulnerability. You can’t have that if one party is a chronic liar.

Have you ever told a lie that got way, way out of hand, dear Pandas? What’s the most embarrassing situation you’ve been in where someone caught you lying?

Do you think that a perfectly honest human society is even remotely possible? We’d love to hear what you think about all of this, so grab a snack and a drink and share your thoughts in the comments.