What Is a Summary of “The Ways We Lie” by Stephanie Ericsson?
In “The Ways We Lie” by Stephanie Ericsson, the author talks about the different ways that people lie and the way that those lies affect the liar as well as the people who have been told lies. The lies discussed in the piece of writing include white lies, facade lies, lies of omission and lies that focus around stereotypes.
White lies are defined in the essay as lies that do more good than the harm the truth would cause. A white lie is described as telling a banker that the check is in the mail when it has not even been sent. The writer also describes more serious lies that are facades for people. People tell these lies to embellish stories and their own lives. Lies of omission are discussed in the essay, but some people do not consider these to be true lies. Ericsson discusses how omitting important information is, in fact, a form of lying and should not be done. The author talks about how stereotyping people and creating barriers as a result of prejudice can be considered lying. Stereotype lies are lies involving people that are not necessarily true for a single group of people. When people buy into stereotypes, they are buying into lies.
