Lies We Tell Kids
2 days ago
- Adults lie to kids constantly, and it's important to examine which lies are told and why.
- The lies form a broad conspiracy where all adults know what to mislead about, leaving kids few cracks.
- Protection is a common reason, but overprotection creates a fake world that can stifle growth.
- Lies about sex and drugs stem from parental discomfort and a desire to keep kids innocent.
- Innocence is valued as open-mindedness, but some knowledge can hinder further learning.
- Death is heavily concealed, leading to delayed understanding of mortality.
- Identity lies (ethnic/religious) are sticky and can carry beneficial or harmful beliefs.
- Authority lies maintain power by concealing adult flaws and demanding high standards from kids.
- School lies include simplification and propaganda, with the biggest lie being that following rules leads to success.
- Peace lies are told to avoid violent reactions, but they train us to ignore persistent problems.
- We arrive at adulthood with a truth debt and must consciously clear lies from our minds.