Everyone lies. If anyone says they never lie, they are deluding themselves. Experiments show that people lie, on an average, two times a day. It appears that our ancestors learnt to lie as soon as they mastered complex communication through language. So, we can blame it on our genes.

According to a Harvard University ethicist, lying is so easy compared to other ways of gaining power. In fact, lying is an indicator of smartness, some experts say. So, instead of greeting their children’s first lie with alarm, parents should heave a sigh of relief at this sure sign of mental alertness.

That is good news. Lying might be viewed as a base thing but it apparently is also an indicator of mental ability. So, the next time you find yourself uttering a white lie, do not feel guilty. You have merely exhibited proof of your superior intellect.

Jokes aside, when people proclaim that they never lie and tell you that they are known for their honesty, take it with a pinch of salt. The simple truth is that we all lie. For example, if your wife asks how she looks, you will tell her that she looks just fine. You might silently add that maybe a little lighter lipstick might not hurt, but you are smart, with strong survival instincts. They say truth hurts and this is so true. It might not hurt the person at whom it is directed, but it certainly has the power to hurt the conveyer of the unvarnished truth.

You are late for work. When you are asked for the reason, you are most likely to blame the traffic, a vehicle breakdown or the unavailability of parking space.

As your explanation is met with a measure of empathy (who hasn’t experienced these problems), you assuage your conscience with the thought that, although today you just got up late, your tardiness could well have been due to any of these reasons.

Lying comes naturally to us. Catch a child doing something they should not be doing, and their first response is denial of any wrongdoing. The evidence may be plain to see, but subterfuge seems to be second nature. As they come up with reasons for their errant behaviour, the parent is struck by their ingenuity. The admonition might follow, but deep inside, the adult cannot help feeling a sense of admiration at the quick recovery and the almost plausible explanation. Sadly, this trait is not encouraged and, instead of being applauded for their smartness, the liar is made to feel a sense of shame. Some people might disagree with the findings of the ethicist, and say a lie is a lie and needs no justification. There is no excuse for resorting to this way out of a sticky situation, they will argue. I have heard parents say proudly that their children never lie. That in itself is a lie or a conviction born out of delusion. Love is blind as you can see.

Of course, some take the art too far and end up scamming people. As many of us regard ourselves as being truthful, we are also inclined to believe others. So, when we receive an email informing us of riches beyond our dreams within our reach, we bite the bait and rush to wire money or so-called processing fees to inherit sums of money from someone we have never heard of before. Then we wait for the inheritance only to realise much later that we have been duped by a mastermind.

However, while lying gives us an edge, truth is needed for peaceful coexistence. It would make for very uncomfortable relationships if every time someone opened their mouth, they were met with the question “Is that the truth?”

Vanaja Rao is a freelance writer based in Hyderabad, India.