UNITED STATES—Have you ever asked yourself why some people are better liars than others? Of course, we all do it time and time again, but the question we should be asking is rather we’re too gullible or naïve to see a lie when we spot it. To be good at telling a lie, first and foremost the perpetrator must be convincing in delivering the tale they choose to tell.

If you self-doubt what you’re spewing how in the world do you expect everyone else to believe you. Second, every good lie has to warrant the reason for telling the first lie with a back-up.  Most liars get caught red-handed because the first lie fails to equate with what a follow-up lie addresses.  Be believable. This may be the falter for many people; they tell lies so extravagant or over the top, a lie can be smelled a million miles away.

The point I’m getting at is: no lie goes without reason. I’d like to believe no single person tells a lie for the sake of telling a lie; something or someone manifested the idea to begin with. Most of us lie for the simple reason of attempting to get ourselves out of a sticky situation: we hate confrontation. The idea of admitting to a mistake that was made is something most of our egos have difficulty accepting. Being wrong is one thing, but to have an attack on our character, no way, we won’t allow it.

The ego could be one of the biggest factors driving many Americans behavior. My concern is people who tell egregious lies and get away with it. How can the guilt or the knowledge that your lie has created ripple effects affecting multiple lives not eat away at a person’s soul? It has to. Just a little bit right? No.

Some people attempt to be liars, while others pride themselves on being pathological liars. What’s the difference? There isn’t, the endgame has to be highlighted to those who continually fall for false lies being told over and over again. Being gullible is a trait that some people just inherit. You can tell them you can make them a millionaire over night and they’ll fork over hundreds or thousands of dollars to make that happen. Some people love a ‘good lie’ because it allows them to stir the pot. They may know fully what is being sold to them is a load of crap, but they can use it to their advantage to get what it is he or she wants.

Are men better liars than women? No. Are women better liars than men? No. Neither sex has an advantage; the advantage comes with the intellect of the person telling the lie and their ability to socially interact with others. Light bulb moment: the reality series “Big Brother” is a huge testament. A clever liar can take themselves all the way to the bank, if they know how to convincingly do it. One mishap and it will explode in a way, that they least expect.

In no way and I condoning the use of telling a lie, but we all do it. Just be cautious about what you tell and who you tell it to. The wrong lie can have ripple effects that destroy more lives than one could expect.

By Trevor Roberts