Truth/Lie Dilemma! Would you rather lie & win lots of money or tell the truth and lose lots of your money?Why?

Question

Imagine this scenario:
You either tell a lie and get lots of money. Or you can choose to tell the truth but in this case you will lose most of your money? The trick is can you explain why?
You may say this is can be expressed as the Euthyphro dilemma..

Answer 1

I would like to be able to lie and keep the money but I know I would tell the truth. I'd rather be able to live with myself than lie and suffer from self hate. Money isn't always the way to happiness, One has to be able to live in ones own skin.

I have gone back and read answers to this question and much to my surprise People Would be Truthful!!!! Makes me feel good.

Answer 2

If this were on a game show, I'd lie because in a game situation the objective is to win. So fair game to win money. But in life, I live by the Golden Rule of treating others as I would want to have others treat me. I do not live by lying or any other deceitful act. I believe in truth, honesty, integrity, and all other aspects of goodness and caring. I don't equate what I would do in a game situation as being the same as what I would do in life. The two are separate entities and most games involve fooling the other person or assuming the complete ruse to befuddle the other players. A game is intrique, strategy , svengaliism, where we can act with the full extent of our imaginations with no fear of penalty. But life is not a game, so doing anything you want, does not apply. There's a big difference! But one more thing, if this lying to win money involved actually harming another person, for real, then I'd choose to save that person rather than get the money, but you didn't mention that any harm could happen, so I'm assuming this is what you mean! And I wouldn't cheat when playing a game though. That is not the same as lying. I'd always play with honesty but if fakery could be used by say, answering questions, I'd do it in such a way as to confuse the other players. But all in harmless fun. No crossing the line into the area of real life!

Answer 3

I have to say that I would be honest. Why? Well, first of all, I am an awful liar. I wear my emotion on my face, and it is painfully obvious when I try to lie. Secondly, I morally cannot lie. Even when some of my friends are pulling a prank on another friend, and I am asked about it, I can't lie. Third, I don't care too much for money - I work very hard, so even if I were to lose it all, it wouldn't be the end of the world. All I would have to do is work twice as hard for a while - which is more satisfying than the money anyways [in my mind at least - I seem to be a dying breed :)]

Answer 4

For me, there are situations where it's better to lie, and situations where it's better to tell the truth. In this case, the truth seems like the logical answer. I would hardly call ignoring their calls and making up some poor excuse a "white lie". That's just being careless and avoidant. If this person is a friend, they'll understand if you have an important commitment to go to. It's better to be honest. And if you are going to lie, you could at least come up with a good reason why you can't go, haha. Libra

Answer 5

It'd truly depend on what the lie is about. If it's something petty, probably. If it's something serious, or it'd affect me mentally because it's so far against my morals and virtue, then never. The why is because of two things. Happiness is created and maintained by two factors. One doing or having something that brings you great joy, and Two, Respecting it. You can have something that brings you great joy, but if you don't respect it, it will be ruined for you. Thus, If it's something petty, I wouldn't care either way, and would similarly see it as free money in a way, which would make me happy to an extent because of the positivity of what money can bring. And since It didn't negatively affect my morals, I would respect what i've done still and thus, Happiness. But if I felt guilty and miserable, there'd be no amount of money in the world that could take that away, especially if everyone knew and hated me for it as well. I'd rather be poor and respected than rich and scum in the eyes of myself and many others. Thus there is your answer.

Answer 6

I would rather lie and get lots of money, and if I was worried about bad "karma" or something of that nature I could use some of the money to help people. This is what should be required of anyone that thinks Utilitarianism is the best moral theory. A utilitarian would be required to lie and use the money to help people, because that would produce the most happiness for the most people.

Answer 7

Methinks a person who lied and got lots of money for it would also live with the guilty conscience of how it was achieved? It seems easier to get it by taking shortcuts, but when it comes down to earning it, some of us hardly want to do it because its a longer road. Personally,(I'll go on your first scenario) If I lost money for "telling the truth" then obviously somebody just wants to use me. I mean If I'll lie for money, what else will I lie for?

Answer 8

If you did not work for or legally inherit that money, then you are obtaining it by false means.

What you sow you reap - in abundance.

Real Scenario: My landlady robbed me several hundred dollars and then came to tell me a 4-month old vehicle worth almost half a millon dollars crashed and had to be written off. Because of the type of insurance she owned on that vehicle, she got back approximately half of the original value and had to take another bank loan to get a new vehicle.

Do the right thing!

Answer 9

I would tell the truth. Because the satisfaction that I would have knowing that I was honest would far out-way any of the money I would gain. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I lied and cheated simply for money when wealth doesn't even matter to me. Happiness is the most important thing in life and I know I couldn't be happy if I had to live with my conscious.

Answer 10

Lie for money and lose myself? No thank you. I'd tell the truth and lose the money. Money can be replaced by hard work. Self respect and inner peace are harder to restructure. It's not worth gaining the whole world and losing your own soul.