Jonathan Moore
Melinda Schroeder English Composition 101 September 28, 2016 Summarization In “Why We Lie”, adapted from the Wall Street Journal article The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, Dan Ariely illustrates that dishonesty is unavoidable. Through a series of controlled tests he measures the amount of dishonest behavior among the participants. Through additional testing he then tries to find out what makes people cheat to the degree they do, and then what keeps people honest. His final answer is that cheating is something we all do, if even to a small degree. (440 – 46) Paraphrase of Paragraph 10 Though the evidence shows that everyone cheats, finding the motivation behind cheating was the logical next step. Quotation “This experiment has obvious implications for the real world. While ethics lectures and training seem to have little to no effect on people, reminders of morality – right at the point where people are making a decision – appear to have an outsized effect on behavior.” (Ariely, par. 19) This paragraph really spoke to me. I’ve always believed that deception is against our basic moral make up, our core morality. I believe every sane person has a basic concept of what is right and wrong and to act deceptively contradicts this. The body reacts to this contradiction through galvanic skin responses, blushing faces and body language. It’s probably why it’s easier to remember the truth than it is to remember a lie. My Two Cents Though I enjoyed “Why We Lie” it only covered one form of dishonesty. Some people may not consider cheating and telling a lie the same thing. I found it lacked insight into the different types of lies people tell, and the fact that truth can be different depending on the perspective. I often tell people, jokingly, that the water on the left side of the Hood Canal Bridge looks different than the right because one side is salt water while the other is fresh water. Is it wrong that I believe in Santa Claus because I see him every year staring at me in the mirror? I suppose the degree of a lie would depend on the motivation for the lie. Cited Work Ariely, Dan. “Why We Lie.” The Bedford Reader 12th Edition (2014): 440 – 46. Print Links to Comments on Other Blogs Eve Hudson Makayla Harvey
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My name is Jonathan Moore, but many simply call me Jon. As I compose this blog I am still undecided as to what my major will be; either Criminal Justice or Medical Assisting. Living in Port Townsend I have had experiences with both professions having contracted with the local city and county prosecuting attorney’s to manage a diversion office for first time felony and misdemeanor offenders, and then through medical treatments I received while I was undergoing chemotherapy to treat my cancer.
During my time at diversion I wrote many correspondence to the prosecutors reporting on the offender’s activities and progress. The correspondence were written to be clear, descriptive and non-biased. I believe this to be my strength. After reading the assigned material I realized there is so much more to reading and writing. I quickly realized “I’m not as thunk as I smart I was.” I am so excited to have the opportunity to learn more about the nuances of reading and writing in a more critical way. Though my experience in some ways prohibited me from critically reading some reports I would receive (chemical dependency and domestic violence treatment evaluations) I look forward to applying the techniques I will learn to my hobby in religious studies. I have always viewed writing as a very important part of communication. I look forward to fine tuning what I already know and learning ways to improve my use of this form of communication. |
Jonathan MooreJust a local person excited to be learning. Archives
November 2016
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