The Truth About How Americans Feel About Lying

As kids we are taught to always tell the truth, but let’s face it, in the real world that’s likely not going to happen. Most people tell lies at some point in their life, with a lot of us doing it on a daily basis, and it turns out, most folks are perfectly okay with that.

A new survey finds that Americans are more accepting of certain lies, although others are big no-nos. For example, people see lying about being sick to get out of work, exaggerating facts of a story or inflating a resume as perfectly fine. But when it comes to cheating, forget it. In fact, 87% of people say it’s never okay to lie about an affair, while over 70% say cheating on taxes is bad, as is lying to protect kids grades, or to appear younger on a dating profile.

When it comes to gender, women probably aren’t shocked to hear that men are more likely to be fine with cheating on taxes, or lying on a resume, and even lying to a spouse about an affair. 

• Interestingly, when it comes to politics, some folks can overlook lies. Overall, most Americans say they wouldn’t support a 2020 presidential candidate who would “lie to cover up the truth,” even if they agree with the person’s policy. But there’s a vast difference in acceptance when it comes to political party. While 55% of Republicans say they would support a lying candidate, 70% of Democrats say it’s a “deal breaker.”

Source: ADNVF