Rowe why we lie

Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Why We Lie by Dorothy Rowe. Why do we lie?

Because we are frightened of being humiliated, being treated like an object, being rejected, losing control of things, and, most of all, we are frightened of uncertainty. Often we get our lies in before any of these things can happen. We lie to maintain our vanity.

We lie when we call our fantasies the truth. Lying is much easier than searching for the truth Why do we lie? Lying is much easier than searching for the truth and accepting it, no matter how inconvenient it is. We lie to others, and, even worse, we lie to ourselves. In both private and public life, we damage ourselves with our lies, and we damage other people. Lies destroy mutual trust, and fragment our sense of who we are.

Lies have played a major part in climate change and the global economic crisis. Fearing to change how they live, many people prefer to continue lying rather than acknowledge that we are facing a very uncertain but undoubtedly unpleasant future unless we learn how to prefer the truths of the real world in which we live rather than the comforting lies that ultimately betray us.

We are capable of changing, but will we choose to do this? Get A Copy. Paperback , pages. Published February 3rd by Fourth Estate first published August 1st More Details Other Editions 2.

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Sep 19, Jay Kamaladasa rated it it was ok. The book started out great. The author built up a good theory on why we lie; to maintain a constant sense of Self. But then she started interpreting her own version of reality which is always subjective, even you one of the greatest minds on Earth , and starts attributing various different reasons as to why she thinks that certain people and political parties behave the way they do.

I'm all for deconstruction, but what the author does is not merely deconstruction; she actively constructs a whol The book started out great. I'm all for deconstruction, but what the author does is not merely deconstruction; she actively constructs a whole new world according to her hopes, dreams, aspirations and beliefs. I wish this book was more scientific or at least mentioned why they drifted out of the scientific method like how David Livingstone Smith does in his book with the same title , because the first chapter promised so much more than the whole.

Nov 16, Elizabeth Reuter rated it really liked it. When reading, be careful separating scientific fact from her own experience, because she presents both as absolute. However, as the basis of her argument is how difficult it can be to find absolute truth, her own attempts to manufacture the truth are understandable!

We just have to read carefully and see if we agree. Mostly, I do agree with her. However, even when I don't agree with her, she makes me think, and forces me to examine why I don't. This is a good book to read if you're interested in doing the same. Oct 18, Melissa Bond rated it it was ok. I always trusted my instincts to be able to tell when a person is deceiving me.

Though after learning a hard lesson that I'm no expert, the curiosity as to why someone lies sparked my interest more than gathering my pride from the floor. This book explains the birth of a lie no better than the existence of mankind. The author takes examples from the animal kingdom to explain deception in one chapter, and then fills the rest of the book rewriting that chapter over and over again.

After spending t I always trusted my instincts to be able to tell when a person is deceiving me. After spending time one can never get back, Rowe effectively makes the point that everyone lies for one reason or another, just why is anyone's guess. Jun 12, David Lai rated it liked it. Dorothy Rowe damns lying, which she says we do to preserve our "sense of being a person". She uses the term to include white lies, concealment, all kinds of deception and wilful ignorance, includes lying to ourselves as well as to others, and blames it for just about every mental illness.

Whereas she e Dorothy Rowe damns lying, which she says we do to preserve our "sense of being a person". Whereas she emphasises the need for us to honestly perceive our "uncertain" world, of which she says all our knowledge is "guesses", ironically her final chapter is a long sermon or harangue I can only describe as dogmatic and full of certainty.

Still, a good read with many interesting points. I would have liked her to unpack the idea of "our sense of being a person". Jan 06, Margaret-anne Macarthur rated it it was amazing. Loved this book. As I saw Dorothy Rowe at the Edinburgh book festival talking about this book. She was so interesting, down to earth, approachable and passionate. I was absorbed. Jul 22, Wan Shoo rated it really liked it.

Dorothy provided a glaring truth about lies. Provoking and tantalizing facts, revealing our habit of lying withoit knowing. Strongly recommended for reading. Sep 15, S. Higbee rated it really liked it.

When was the last time you told a lie? Why did you do so? This interesting and carefully researched book delves into a destructive aspect of human nature that most of us spend a lot of time not thinking about.

Our sense of self is so precarious, argues Rowe, that we will do anything to preser When was the last time you told a lie? See all 2 brand new listings. Buy It Now.

Add to cart. Sold by rarewaves-outlet About this product Product Information Why do we lie? Because we are frightened of being humiliated, being treated like an object, being rejected, losing control of things, and, most of all, we are frightened of uncertainty.

Often we get our lies in before any of these things can happen. We lie to maintain our vanity. We lie when we call our fantasies the truth. Lying is much easier than searching for the truth and accepting it, no matter how inconvenient it is. We lie to others, and, even worse, we lie to ourselves. In both private and public life, we damage ourselves with our lies, and we damage other people. Lies destroy mutual trust, and fragment our sense of who we are. Lies have played a major part in climate change and the global economic crisis.

Fearing to change how they live, many people prefer to continue lying rather than acknowledge that we are facing a very uncertain but undoubtedly unpleasant future unless we learn how to prefer the truths of the real world in which we live rather than the comforting lies that ultimately betray us. We are capable of changing, but will we choose to do this? Show more Show less. Any condition Any condition. We have ratings for this, but no written reviews yet.