Like spirituality, and all our other human tendencies that evolved before it, lying was naturally selected for us because better liars survived longer to have more offspring. Soon after early humans acquired consciousness and the ability to think they became aware of the many dangers they faced. Animal predators and competition from other humans for food, space, and mating partners were the greatest threats. Strength and agility were important, but being able to read the intentions of potential enemies soon became more so. Before verbal language evolved, body language and verbal sounds were the only way individuals communicated their intentions to others. In time, some individuals became more adept at faking their body language than others. The development of verbal language provided early humans with an important new tool, the ability to lie to deceive others! Of course, more of the better liars survived so we all now have some ability to lie, and do so for a myriad of reasons.

Although I have found no evidence for it, it is my opinion that individuals with gene variations that make them better liars also possess the ones that produce a lower sense of right and wrong which, of course, make them better liars. Lying by our political leaders has now become so acceptable that most make different promises in primaries than ones they make in the general election without suffering any consequences. They consider the changed promises “adjustments” and moving to the center, and most of their supporters don’t care. An aide or supporter of one of our recent presidents, I can’t recall which, was asked by a TV journalist why the president failed to keep certain promises he had made while campaigning. The aide replied, “He kept all the promises he intended to keep,” and both giggled and went on to another topic.

To answer the question “is lying good for us” each of us must first determine what the definition of “is” is. Read Settled Science to see how natural selection chooses the most efficient traits and tendencies for the environment we have to live in.

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