Truth is in our nature

Professor Dobkowski’s article, “The struggle between truth telling and lying,” presents a deeply flawed understanding of human nature. Citing presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson’s “possible half-truths” and “exaggerations” about a West Point scholarship and violent tendencies in his youth, Dobkowski claims the media’s reaction to the controversy stems from a recognition that we are all—like Carson—liars.

I am not voting for Carson, but I will defend him. The verbal offer of a “scholarship” to West Point that Carson experienced reflects the same language recruiters used with me when I applied for an appointment in the mid-1970s. And, Carson’s struggle with anger in his youth reflects common sense: What teen reared without a father wouldn’t have anger issues?

Not content simply to impugn Carson’s character by repeating uncorroborated accusations, Dobkowski insists that “most of us are ordinary and habitual deceivers” and “our true nature” is a “propensity to embellish, even lie.” To say none of us is perfectly honest is not proof that dishonesty is our natural inclination. After all, none of us is perfectly healthy but that hardly means we are all sick people. Our nature is to seek truth, health and happiness and to avoid lies, illness and misery.

Dobkowski wants to appear balanced by condemning self-righteous commentators. But he avoids the righteous task of addressing the many real lies and deceit committed by politicians and ignored by the media (who attack Carson to make all candidates seem equal in their mendacity).

Sometimes small “lying is preferable to the truth,” Dobkowski explains. Is it dishonest to compliment the good host who has served a bad meal? If we “spare the bad news” to those who cannot bear its burden, are we lying? No. Honesty is never a virtue when we are callous, insensitive, or communicate beyond someone’s capacity to understand.

Our relationships with others are built upon trust, which grows out of truth-telling. If lying is truly part of our nature, as Dobkowski asserts, then we would not be able to establish real trust; we would never be able to pursue excellence or possess integrity.

There is goodness in each of us even when masked by darkness in our mind and weakness of will. If we correctly form our conscience and listen to its accusatory voice, we will unlock the moral power within us to identify good and evil, truth and lies.

Peter C. DeMarco is a leadership coach, organizational consultant and ethics educator.