December 2013

Ashley was my best friend in high school. We were the friends that always managed to be with each other in school group projects, were in all the same sports and clubs, and went through everything together. Her family became almost like my second family. Then there is my boyfriend, Evan, whom I have been dating for over three years now. We hang out whenever possible and are always going places together. I fit right into his family and loved spending time with them. Evan and Ashley were the two people closest to me. December 2013 was one of the hardest times in my life. Ashley's mom had been battling cancer for 3-4 years and had taken a turn for the worst. She passed away in the first week of December and I didn't think we would have to go through something that terrible. Only a few days later, Evan's dad also passed away after 10 years of battling pulmonary fibrosis. Seeing the two people closest to me in such heartbreak made me realize that I had to be strong and be by their sides. That week in December was one of the worst times I had to go through but yet made me a stronger person. 

Pamela Meyer: Lying

Pamela Meyer states that lying is a cooperative act meaning that it takes a person to lie plus a person to believe the lie. I agree to this statement because someone needs to agree with the person and believe the lie in order for it to be in effect.  Meyer also states that lying is a way of connecting what we wish we were with what we are.  What is meant by this statement is that people lie to make themselves feel and sound like a better person, one that they wish they were.  

Truth #2 is that we are against lying but covertly for it. I agree with this statement because like Meyer explains we have been lying ever since we were young, yet we say that lying is bad. Everyone lies to help themselves or others but continue to agree that it is a terrible act. 

Some techniques used to spot liars include the pausing, looking down, the same rehearsed gestures with certain explanations, duping delight (smiling), making an expression that masks another, put barrier objects between them and the person they are lying to, and altering vocal town to lower. Clusters of these can indicate lying.  Learning some of these techniques can help one get out of a situation where someone is lying. Meyer adds that honesty is worth preserving in her speech. She says to be more explicit in your moral code and explain how you only accept honesty. I agree because if you accept lying in your world then people will lie to you more often. We can create a cultural/societal change regarding lying by being more explicit in your moral code and by asking more questions to figure out what is and isn't the truth.