What's your position about lies in the adult business world?

Question

I'm 15, have strong ethical and moral principles. Since I'm a teen I live with my parents and since I can remeber I've always been told I should never lie, especially to my parents. Of course, like every kid, I lied to them a few times when I was under 12. But as I gor older I learned the importance of honesty, though for several times I didn't agree with them. I had several arguments with my parents, but we don't lie to each other.
But I've learned this is true only when it comes to kids and parents. Because in the adult business world, especially when involving money, lies are acceptable and even encouraged. Sometimes under more beautiful names like strategy, perception, etc. Lawyers lie on behalf of their clients and it's OK, it's their job. CEOs lie for the good of their business and that's OK, it's business. Politicians, well, needless to say anything. Actually, it seems the capacity to lie makes you more competitive. So, should I be a liar in making

Answer 1

The phrase "adult business world" is kind of a strategic way of saying pornography but then I can see past that bit of cute naivity at your question which is the best I have seen for some time.

You should stick to your morals of course but the business world is complicated. There are a lot of dishonest people and even if you are honest you have to have a style which allows you to work out which people are honest and which are not. In order to do this you have to play their game. The funny thing is when to honest business people earn each others trust the pretense drops. This is where the very smart con artists work once they have earned your trust they can then get you to "risk" even more money with the incentive of profit. So you see you can never truly let your guard down.

On a larger scale if a CEO lies to protect the company then on one hand this is immoral. But imagine the consequence of the truth being the companies demise this could be the loss of thousands of jobs. People with children to support like you with no job because one person refused to tell a lie? Sometimes it's important to see peoples motivations rather than their actions.

In general your parents are very right but with responsibility there is sometimes a necessity to do things that you don't want to do. If the lies are purely deception for profit like false mileage on a car then this of course is dishonest. If someone sells you a car and lied to you about the mileage and then you sold it you have unwittingly lied yourself. Thats just simple business imagine how complicated things get at the boardroom level.

Answer 2

I believe you can do your job just as well by sticking to your convictions and being truthful and gain the respect of everyone you work with. The world needs more moral people, especially in the workplace. Don't be afraid that being different will make you less competitive. Truth is always more powerful than a lie.

Answer 3

I don't think it's OK to lie because it's a sin. Is the business really more important than your morals? I'd lie only to benefit other people, not just myself.

Answer 4

The Worldcomm CEO lied and it cost me and a lot of other people a lot of money; retirement money, etc. Enron people had that happen too. Lying for personal gain is one thing, but lying for personal gain when it destroys so many other lives is downright criminal.

Answer 5

Your question got me thinking too...

I think as we all get older the innocent world we once knew start crumbling around us and we are forced to be better pretenders. Hence, the lying starts, albeit innocently, but I would suggest that you should never compromise your integrity just to suit everyone else around you... unless your life depends on it...

Very confusing….