White lies are told for many reasons and are widely accepted as a vital component that facilitates smooth communication and interactions. First, they give people the pleasure of not hurting others by telling them the truth. Many people tell white lies as a way of soothing the egos of their friends or as a way of preserving their social relationships. These lies are told to hide one’s feelings. For example, they are told by consumers to their hairdressers, servers, and friends to hide their true feelings and evaluations of situations in order to ensure that their interactions proceed smoothly (Argo and Shiv, 2012).
White lies are widely accepted in many societies because they are innocent ways of deception that are harmless. They are usually used to protect other people who would be otherwise harmed if the truth were to be revealed. White lies also help people avoid hurting others by protecting their feelings. For instance, a person who receives a gift that they consider unattractive will lie and tell the giver that it is awesome (Broomfield, Robinson, & Robinson, 2002).
The recipient of the gift would heart the giver if he/she said that they hated the gift. A white lie told in such a situation protects the feelings of the giver and avoids hurting them. Second, white lies facilitate the attainment of peace in certain situations. This is common among police officers who often use white lies to bring peace and security in communities. They tell these lies by hiding their identity, omitting certain details during interrogation, and giving false information in order to get certain information from suspects. In that regard, Alpert and Noble stated that:
Police officers will deceive by omission, conceal their identity, and even deny that they are police officers while attempting to gain evidence of the criminal actions of another. They will work to create a perception of safety in their communities, knowing full well that dangerous crime exists (Alpert & Noble 2009).
It could be argued that telling white lies in such situations is okay. However, it could be harmful if the truth is stretched to large extents. Peace cannot be attained without security. Therefore, the use of white lies by police officers to retrieve information on criminal activities is acceptable. This has been supported by courts of law that have upheld the use of lies by police officers in certain cases.
References
Alpert, G. P., & Noble, J. J. (2009). Lies, True Lies, and Conscious Deception: Police Officers and the Truth. Police Quarterly, 12(2), 237-254.
Argo, J. J., & Shiv, B. (2012). Are White Lies as Innocuous as We Think? Journal of Consumer Research, 38, 1093-1102.
Broomfield, K. A., Robinson, E. J., & Robinson, W. P. (2002). Children Understanding About White Lies. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 20, 47-65.