Pain, Power & the Purpose of Lies

We have all lied at some point, and have likely been hurt by others lying to us. Wonder why do we all do it? Why do some people lie compulsively? Have you ever felt a need to lie to pretend things are better than they are or even to gain power or protection? Have you ever felt ashamed of believing a liar or have been badly injured as a result? We have all been there! Let's talk about this complex issue and explore the Pain, Power and Purposes of Lies. We will discuss the motivation and consequences of lying; how to spot a liar; types of liars; and when lying seems like the right thing to do. Let's take the time to chat about how we make sense of the issues of lying and even learn to spot when we are using lying ourselves (perhaps it's automatic; a response to when we feel uncomfortable or want someone's approval). We will also explore the concept of "Firehosing" , that involves huge amounts of lies being pushed out, and making it difficult to see the truth beyond the misinformation. It's primarily used to maintain power and to deliberately deceive. Most often used in a political context, it can leave people overwhelmed by the misleading and confusing information. And before we all start to feel that we are to blame and shamed by lying – let's talk about and put into perspective how common dishonesty is and part of how we navigate our world with others. Somehow, lying is a deeply ingrained mechanism in our makeup of who we are. Our best bet to managing it, is to realize that it is here and to see it clearly and call for what it is.