In our daily lives, we all use lying as a protective mechanism in order to accomplish a desired end. We generally lie to others and to ourselves to get out of doing trivial things such as chores, homework or things we prefer not to do. We frequently say, “I can’t do it” when we face a doable task that seems impossible at the time. Humans often do not realize that we are capable of so much more than we think. Whether it is discouraging ourselves regarding exercise, finishing an assignment or tackling the unimaginable, the same lie tends to be utilized.
People have the strength and ability to accomplish tasks when push comes to shove; however, some things do not appear as simple at the start. At school, students often lie to themselves by underestimating their ability to complete something or procrastinate to avoid the stress. For instance, sometimes we give up after staring at a complex question and we quickly convince ourselves that we cannot do it. Nevertheless, we are capable of figuring out how to solve problems if only we did not underestimate ourselves and jump straight to a forgone conclusion. We should not deem something impossible if we have not even tried conquering it. It is better to fail trying than to never try at all. In the sports world, athletes like myself can lose the urge to keep fighting after giving what we consider 100 percent; thus, athletes might reply, “I can’t!” when coaches or teammates push them to exert additional energy. In reality, strong-minded, able athletes have the fitness and potential to produce so much more than they perceive. When faced against the odds, people should focus more on what they can do and less on what they cannot do.
Perhaps another reason why we broadcast this lie to people is due to plain laziness. Laziness is a common shortcoming that is contagious amongst college students and can be detected from a two-word lie. When one of your fellow hall mates asks anyone if they would like to accompany him or her to the gym or to the study lounge on a Saturday, a general response is “I can’t”, which is a simple excuse to get out of exerting extra energy. After questioning students why this lie is told so readily, Gabby Himel (CAS ’16) believes, “It’s so much easier to cop out and say ‘No it’s too hard, I can’t do it.’‘I can’t’ is a response of frustration and apathy.” In addition, we succumb to using this lie to replace “I don’t want to” in response to an invitation, so that we do not have to hurt people’s feelings – this may be called a white lie in some instances; for example, when your buddies invite you to a movie or a trip to the dining hall when all you want to do is veg in your room on a cold night. I am pretty sure all of us have had to face this situation at some time or another. We are prone to say, “I can’t. I have this thing” just because we are too lethargic to socialize at that moment. Even though that may sound awful, that lie can save you in a sticky situation. The funny thing is that your friends would understand your decision, because they have likely used or thought the same lie before. It is definitely a strange cycle.
Lying is a kind of defense mechanism that helps students dodge different kinds of bullets that come their way, academically and socially. Everyone seems to secretly desire to be a pretty little liar, but lying has its consequences for the liar and his or her audience.