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Is deception the key to success in life?

I'm thinking of the little white lies and exaggerations people tell each other on first dates. I'm talking about the way we have to rose tint our reasons for wanting a really ****ty job during an interview. I'm talking about the way companies blag their way through jobs pretending to be experts when they're clueless, or sales people who manipulate information and manipulate you in order to make a sale.

So, can anyone be successful in life by being totally honest?

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 1

Andy_J

Unless you are perfect, which nobody is, no. Sometimes you have to exaggerate or bend the truth a little to get what you want in life.

Reply 2

Fallen

Well it is possible to be successful and being totally straight talking. Invent something truly fantastic, and people will buy it.
Much easier to take something that already exists, give it 12 more useless features, and tell everyone it is the latest, must-have, 'all-new' gadget and get rich that way.

Reply 3

Martyn*

Deception, lies, untruths, falsehoods, etc, etc. All conditions of life.

Reply 4

SnoochToTheBooch

deception is the easy way to get what you want. You can get things done honestly based on your skill/talent in a certain area, but that's mroe difficult.

Reply 5

TheCaledonian

Simply put yes.
If our species didn't have the ability to lie then all those questions such as "Do I look fat in this?" would result in two people breaking up, failing to reproduce and our species would die out, so in terms of evolution lying is very important to ensuring that our species lives on.
However lying is integral to long term success think of the first Kings of Queens they kept their power by making everyone believe that they were appointed by God; a lie that over 50% of the population believed at the time of the coronation of our current Queen.

To summarise lying is an integral part of both: our personal survival and success ; and the survival and success of our species

For the record I am a Monarchist I believe that the Queen is an integral part of our society I do not believe however believe that she was elected by God