Whether we call them white lies or false statements, mental reservations or evasions, exaggerations or hyperbole, whatever we say that is not the truth is an untruth. To lie is to hide the truth. Lying comes with the territory. Seduced by the desire to be as wise as God, Eve acted upon what she knew was not true. We live in a world of deception.
Lies influence history and persuade people.
Some people are masters at telling us what we want to hear and what they want us to believe. For example, in 1906, Dr. Frederick A. Cook gained fame with his ascent of Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America, by taking a photograph at the summit. During the televised denial of the Lewinsky affair, President Clinton relied on his ability to persuade. Lying is gaining acceptance as a philosophy of life. According to Michael Josephson, president of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, we are lying more.