NationStates Jolt Archive

What would happen if everyone in the world suddenly became incapable of lying?

There'd be an immediate revolution ushering Bush out of office right after his very first speech after this glorious event.

What would happen if everyone in the world suddenly became incapable of lying?
The divorce rate would soar, thousands of businesses would disappear, the advertising industry would go tits up, and politicians would cease to exist! :D

The divorce rate would soar, thousands of businesses would disappear, the advertising industry would go tits up, and politicians would cease to exist! :D


Originally posted by Homer Simpson
Heh - heh. It's funny 'cause it's true. :D

The divorce rate would soar, thousands of businesses would disappear, the advertising industry would go tits up, and politicians would cease to exist! :D

Do you believe there would be negative consequences as well? :D

The suicide rates would dramatically rise.

The divorce rate would soar, thousands of businesses would disappear, the advertising industry would go tits up, and politicians would cease to exist! :D

I disagree on some parts. Many advertisers don't lie flat out, they just misrepresent stuff. They carefully lead us to believe something, when it's the opposite. That isn't really lying.

The divorce rate would soar, thousands of businesses would disappear, the advertising industry would go tits up, and politicians would cease to exist! :D

Lawyers would become extinct too. On the bad side, though, no one would ever laid either.

:D
Heh!

Oh yeah, a few I forgot: lawyers would all die of acute myocardial infarctions, telephone solicitors would choke on their words, and hair-dressers, plastic surgeons and beauty product salesment would lose all their clients! :D

Oh woe unto us if this ever came to pass! Watch "Liar, Liar" and you have your horrifying answer. A complete and utter breakdown of the American Justice System, for one thing. The divorce rate would then skyrocket. And - ahck! It's too horrible to say!

Quick, somebody quote post #2 so this thread can devolve into political flamewars and we can all stop thinking about frightening thoughts!

Something along the lines of the end of the world as we know it.

I disagree on some parts. Many advertisers don't lie flat out, they just misrepresent stuff. They carefully lead us to believe something, when it's the opposite. That isn't really lying.
misrepresentation = lying :p

On the bad side, though, no one would ever laid either.
Not true! I get laid all the time and I never, ever lie! Well ... mostly! :D

Not true! I get laid all the time and I never, ever lie! Well ... mostly! :D

Your hand doesn't count Eut, even if you do put lipstick on it.

misrepresentation = lying :p


I think he meant: telling the truth in a way that promotes misinterpretation (thereby convincing you that they are saying something that they are not)

Actually, now that I think about it, I believe the human race would cease to exist. Follow my logic here-

A - women lie on instinct- plastic surgery, make-up (sorry, thats deception), high heels (you're not that tall and your butt doesn't look like that), push-up bra's, and so on, and so on...

B. Men eventually die.


so...

C -no lying can therefore only be achieved if there are no women.

D. -no women, no procreation.

D. -no procreation, no children.

E. - humanity dies off.

The average males penis size would decrease dramatically. (if you only collect this evidence through unverifiable questioning of the male populace.) "After action" reports would drive many to suicide, leading to a darwinistic culling of college jocks by their own hand, thus inadvertantly turning the world into a mass police state where politicians would get around truth-telling by simply not speaking.

Clearly.

What would happen if everyone in the world suddenly became incapable of lying?
My post rate would drop to 1/10th its current rate, and I would become even less amusing than I am now. That would be like creating anti-Humor, that could some how seek out and destroy other people's humor.
I think that we should all keep lying, because telling the truth is for pansies and Michael Jackson. Who never touched anybody's weewee. No, never. Not even during that orgy with the stupid Home Alone kid. Seriously.

The average males penis size would decrease dramatically. (if you only collect this evidence through unverifiable questioning of the male populace.) "After action" reports would drive many to suicide, leading to a darwinistic culling of college jocks by their own hand, thus inadvertantly turning the world into a mass police state where politicians would get around truth-telling by simply not speaking.

Clearly.

This is true.

Jordaxia, how the heck are you? Good to see you again. (Also good that everyone can still lie, eh? ;))

The average males penis size would decrease dramatically. (if you only collect this evidence through unverifiable questioning of the male populace.)
Wait, all that they are supposed to do is ask? Why did I have to flash those two old guys then?
Come to think of it, they never did get out a ruler, just used their very cold hands. Although, it was rather bizarre that they felt the need to pay me $100 just for helping out with a survey.

Your hand doesn't count Eut, even if you do put lipstick on it.
Gymoor??

We'd finally have an interview with a movie star in a gossip mag worth reading.

Polite conversation would disappear.

Dating service memberships ditto.

The fluffle smiley would not be used except between already married couples (as technically it's a "lie", you aren't really fluffling anybody).

The vast majority of NS nations would be left-wing (as choosing the opposite stance on an issue is technically "lying") or libertarian, with a few conservative nations, and there would be no Iron Fist Consumerists or Libertarian Police States.

...Among the other effects already listed.

Communists would never again be able to convert anyone to their demonic ideology.

Communists would never again be able to convert anyone to their demonic ideology.

Ditto Capitalists.

Well, I guess no-one, communist, capitalist or otherwise would be able to claim that simply implementing their ideology will make the world the best it can be.

Watch Jim Carrey in "Liar Liar" or Mel Gibson in "What Women Want" for an idea.

I think that once everyone got used to honesty, the world could be a better place.

What would happen if everyone in the world suddenly became incapable of lying?
not really. I depend on my husbands ability to lie.

"honey do these jeans make my butt look big?"

"no the fact that you are a big fat cow makes your butt look big"


yeah I am not liking that, suddenly I am really mad at my husband, I need chocolate......

not really. I depend on my husbands ability to lie.

"honey do these jeans make my butt look big?"

"no the fact that you are a big fat cow makes your butt look big"


yeah I am not liking that, suddenly I am really mad at my husband, I need chocolate......

People wouldn't be compelled to say what they think, they'd just be unable to claim to have an opinion they don't really.

People wouldn't be compelled to say what they think, they'd just be unable to claim to have an opinion they don't really.
sure but if I asked him a direct question like 'do I look fat in this?' and he said yeah. that would suck (for him mostly because I would probably become violent)

not really. I depend on my husbands ability to lie.

"honey do these jeans make my butt look big?"

"no the fact that you are a big fat cow makes your butt look big"


yeah I am not liking that, suddenly I am really mad at my husband, I need chocolate......

Doctor, give her an 100ccs of self esteem, STAT!

sure but if I asked him a direct question like 'do I look fat in this?' and he said yeah. that would suck (for him mostly because I would probably become violent)

The fact that he's already your husband kinda makes me think that he likes whatever you look like.

Another question is; what would happen if computers learned how to lie?

Both the inability and the ability to lie instantly changes the world, and the effects are, at the very least, drastic.

Hmmm, do you mean lie as in knowingly lie or a factual lie regardless of whether you believe it's true or not?

If the former, well, not really that much. A lot more people would turn to self-esteem lessons and somehow twist that to make everything they say something they firmly believe in. "I believe Neo. I believe *splat*"

If the latter, I can see either the Atheists or Religious in general committing suicide. Imagine if they tried to preach only to find out that they couldn't. ;)

The fact that he's already your husband kinda makes me think that he likes whatever you look like.
Oh I know. I was using it to try to be humorous and also argue the opposite side at the same time.

apparently it didn't work out..... :(



Doctor, give her an 100ccs of self esteem, STAT!

I feel much better now :rolleyes: I was kidding, I forgot to put my winky smiley smunkee is kidding thingy here ya go ------> ;)

Is acting lying? What about writing stories about non-fictional characters and events? The world would get boring fast if we couldn't have novels, movies, and TV shows anymore.

A lot of people would cry for a long time.

Is acting lying? What about writing stories about non-fictional characters and events? The world would get boring fast if we couldn't have novels, movies, and TV shows anymore.


I hope acting and lying wouldn't be synonymous under this supposition. I'm an actor. :eek:

Read Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series to get an idea of what happens to people when they can't lie. They don't become dysfunctional, just more devious. ;)

Or read Moliere's The Misanthrope and imagine a world full of Alcestes--no thanks. :D

Our whole lives are a lie. From 'Santa is going to bring me presents' to 'I'm going to Heaven when I die', we are lied to and lie to ourselves and eachother from beginning to end.

Lying makes life worth living. Lying and chocolate. :)

Read Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series to get an idea of what happens to people when they can't lie. They don't become dysfunctional, just more devious. ;)
yeah, my husband reads those, he has told me about that, and how the truth that they tell you is not always the truth you think you hear.... or something, to tell the truth I was only half listening..... :p

Our whole lives are a lie. From 'Santa is going to bring me presents' to 'I'm going to Heaven when I die', we are lied to and lie to ourselves and eachother from beginning to end.

Lying makes life worth living. Lying and chocolate. :)
What if you don't like chocolate? ;P

What if you don't like chocolate? ;P
well, then life is sad indeed, that is unless you lie a whole lot ;)

Read Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series to get an idea of what happens to people when they can't lie. They don't become dysfunctional, just more devious. ;)

Aes Sedai do have misdirection and talking around the truth down to an art form don't they?

Aes Sedai do have misdirection and talking around the truth down to an art form don't they?
Well, if all good lies have an element of truth in them, the greatest lie in the world would be completely true. If you were to tell someone the truth and they didn't believe you, wouldn't that be just as good as a lie?

Well, if all good lies have an element of truth in them, the greatest lie in the world would be completely true. If you were to tell someone the truth and they didn't believe you, wouldn't that be just as good as a lie?

Heh, the Cretian paradox eh?

Heh, the Cretian paradox eh?
I hadn't heard the term before, but I am familliar with the explanation. Thanks!

I almost always tell the honest, and often brutal truth. People think that is interesting. If everyone did that, I would cease to be interesting. That would suck.

I almost always tell the honest, and often brutal truth. People think that is interesting. If everyone did that, I would cease to be interesting. That would suck.

They are lying to you. They don't think it is interesting, they think you are a jerk but don't care to be the subject of your "brutal truth".

There'd be a lot more men in the doghouse. :p

There'd be a lot more men in the doghouse. :p
And a lot more marriages on the rocks! :D

And a lot more marriages on the rocks! :D

Not really. A lot less marriages in the first place ;)

And in Eut's case, from what he has told us, a lot less getting any too. :p

Well, you'd be able to believe people occasionally, and you wouldn't have to assume everything you're told might be a lie.
It wouldn't affect what I can say, as I almost never lie.

I think that the Murder Rate would go up. Probably end up with World War 3 as well. Diplomacy would be thrown out the door.

Wait, all that they are supposed to do is ask? Why did I have to flash those two old guys then?
Come to think of it, they never did get out a ruler, just used their very cold hands. Although, it was rather bizarre that they felt the need to pay me $100 just for helping out with a survey.
Did anyone else find this disturbing? :p

There'd be a lot more men in the doghouse. :p
There would be a shortage of babies, too.

Church collapses. Or not. Whatever you believe.

:eek:

So all you have to do is make people BELIEVE something is the truth and they would tell the lie.

People would still be able to tell lies as long as they didn't know they were lies. religious people who truly believed would be fine; it's the hypocrites who'd be in big trouble.

Also, simply not speaking when the truth could be painful or get you into trouble would not really be a solution once people figured out what was going on.

'Honey, you really don't mind that I'm not that big, do you?'

'..............'

'Why don't you say anything? A simple "no" would be enough!'

'Darling, I..............'

'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

:D

It is not that nobody would get laid... it is that different people would.

Did anyone else find this disturbing? :p
My life would drive a lesser man to insanity.
Fortunately, I was already there when I started living so it doesn't bother me. Although I am becoming increasingly worried at my ability to draw any topic of conversation into the realm of deviant sexuality.

We would solve both over-population and noise pollution problems as only those who can keep their mouths shut would likely survive.

So much for Nationstates. ;)

What would happen if everyone in the world suddenly became incapable of lying?

People would learn to mislead without technically lying. A bit like politicians...

Your hand doesn't count Eut, even if you do put lipstick on it.

Hmm...Classy.

My fellow Americans, my name is George and I'm an alcoholic. For the last five years I've pretty much had a blackout. Who can tell me what happened?

Society, as a whole, would implode.

We would all end up like Camus' Meursault. :eek:

I think it was Heinlein who said that the most effective way to lie is to tell the truth in such a way that it can't possibly be believed. I'll bet there'd be a lot of that sort of thing going on.

And by the way, I think he was right. It's always worked for me. :D

What would happen if everyone in the world suddenly became incapable of lying?
It was answered by the Manic Street Preachers.

http://www.stereoboard.com/artistnews/images/newsattach/30663071-Manic+Street+Preachers.jpg

Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart