Veracity

by Douglas E. Richards

“We often want to be misled. We collude with the lie, unwittingly, because we have a stake in not knowing the truth. It may not be in the interest of a mother with a number of very young children to catch her mate’s lies that conceal his infidelity. Everyone but she may know what is happening. Or, the parents of a preadolescent using hard drugs may unwittingly strive to avoid spotting the lies that would force them to deal with a possible failure as parents, and which would bring about a terrible struggle. The targets of lies may also collusively want to believe the liar to avoid recognition of impending disaster. Which explains why the businessman who mistakenly hired an embezzler continues to miss the signs of the embezzlement. Rationally speaking, the sooner he discovers the embezzlement the better, but psychologically, this discovery will mean he must face not only his company’s losses but his own mistake in having hired such a rascal.”