The Worst Kind of Lying

In September, when President Obama spoke to many of the nation’s school children, we wrote The Importance of an Education.¹

In that post, we wrote that regardless of the field, a good education permits the student to determine when others are completely full of sh… The more specialized the training, the more narrow the ability to discern, to be sure, but possibly the more acute the ability.

We further noted that an exceptional education is one that permits the student to determine when he or she–the student himself or herself–is completely full of sh… We then mention a few implications and benefits of that knowledge.

Clearly, we were not writing about the memorization of facts necessary to learn and eventually become educated, nor were we writing about what we’ll call pseudo-facts– all those things that teachers repeat with nary a thought of their validity. (Ironically, many science teachers seem to be the worst violators of the “it’s in the textbook, so it must be true” fallacy.) We have in mind higher-level learning and with it the benefits of objective and critical thinking that permits the analysis and evaluation of different designs, choices, conclusions, behaviors, and recommendations, regardless of the field.

We don’t mind repeating our definitions, because we really like them. In fact, we like to think that Socrates (and therefore Plato) might approve. As we understand it, isn’t that what Socrates taught when he tried to show others that they were completely full of sh…? (We’re not saying that his approach wins friends, but it is analytical and requires discernment and at least a good education.)

Moreover, we don’t mind repeating our old post here, because it is closely related to this one. After writing that post in September, we thought more about the certain types of uneducated folks. That allowed us to conclude that:

The only thing worse than lying to others is lying to oneself.

By ‘worse’ we mean harmful, in general, and self-destructive, in particular. Actually, we should write that “lying to oneself is worse than lying to others” but we like the hyperbole of “The only thing worse.”

Self-deception is the reason why many students score poorly on exams and why actors forget lines and and singers flub solos and why athletes run the wrong routes or plays and why addicts and alcoholics over-consume drugs and alcohol…, ad infinitum and ad nauseum.

It happens when someone asks, “are you ready” or “did you study enough,” and the self-deceiver answers, “yes” or “of course” or “yeah, I worked hard,” and they are then surprised by their poor results and showings.

As we note, it is worse when the person answering the question is also the person asking it. Completely, yet erroneously, self-delusionally confident in their abilities and preparedness. Surprised or maybe confused when they fail or perform poorly.

As we see it, that self-deception is due to the complete lack of self-criticism.

So, what hope is there for self-control (and self-improvement from directed and sustained effort) if one’s feedback loop is broken and left dangling unconnected–like a downed power-line in the aftermath of a storm?

Observing such behavior reminds us of a Greek tragedy, but without all the effort of, say,  actually pushing a huge stone to the top of a hill. It is weakness exhibited as the lack of effort and/or will combined with the inability to recognize the insufficiency of requisite effort that defines the problem and inflicts the harm and damage. (We’re not saying that we’re immune to it, but it is easier to see in others.)

Accurate self-evaluation and self-criticism seem to be necessary abilities/functions for self-control, self-improvement, and self-respect. Why does it seem that the self-esteem movement–you are special, you’re the only one–can destroy such those good attitudes and behaviors? Because the easiest way to improve self-esteem is to snip the feedback loop that makes it very easy to lie to yourself. (So we say, so what if you don’t like this essay, AT LEAST WE TRIED (well, not too much).)