Why do we lie? (#665)

I am referring to not telling truth, not the prone position. lol. In hiding the truth we are consciously, or less usually, sub-consciously, determining an advantage for ourselves or others. Why would we do this? One reason would be because we are afraid or concerned about what the truth may do. Most lies are for some short-term gain at the expense of someone or something else. We have gotten to a place where we do little to consider the overall effect of not telling the truth. We don't teach truth as a subject, instead we avoid discussing the results of what most lies lead to. In reality when we tell a lie we are stealing from someone or something. It is theft to lie. For sure we are stealing from our own truth and lessening our resolve to be as principled in action as we would think we are in thought. My own personal experiences with lying have been mostly centered on not knowing something but lying to hide my lack of knowledge. I have also lied about others to gain a perceived advantage in the eyes of someone I was trying to impress. In actuality, neither of these two reasons I used to lie about were worth the price I paid in humiliating myself. Eventually I was exposed and further alienated myself, more so than if I would have just been honest to begin with. I learned my lesson well and have risen to a place in my principled life where lying is not acceptable. The truth, however I have made it for myself, is what I reflect back. Most lies are because, like me, others were unwilling to work hard at learning. An idle or shiftless mind will resort to whatever words need to be spoken, regardless of veracity, to achieve or maintain an advantage. The destruction lying does to one's own character and spirit is not nearly worth any short-term gain. Truth however, gives me liberty and a sense of honest character that is noticed and admired not only by myself but others as well.