Lying: Man's Second Nature (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780275972264)

One of the most puzzling problems of our time is society's changing attitude toward truth and lying. Are we experiencing the breaking down of our moral values as many ethicists claim or are we confronted with a new moral paradigm? Serban explores the new moral relativism within the context of the unprecedented social-political and technological advances of the last decades. With the classical values under siege, a new concept of right and wrong has emerged based on a blurred distinction between truth and falsehood. Many forms of lying are considered subjective truth. Political correctness and spinning are part of the social interaction promoted by lawyers, politicians, activist judges, media, among others.

Serban documents that man, in the process of pursuing his goals, tends to manipulate others. Adapting through deception, particularly in crisis, is part of our animal heritage. Our thought processes, protective of our emotions and self-image, are perfectly adapted for the task of lying. Historically, people have always lied, regardless of social-moral restraints and legal prohibitions. Man--to successfully compete in this rapidly changing world full of conflicts, duplicity, and half-truths--either have to learn the new rules of self-protection in the social game of manipulative interaction or become losers. Psychiatrists, sociologists, psychologists, social workers, legal professionals, all other students of human behavior and also general readers interested in understanding the dynamic of social deception will find the work of particular value.

Author: George Serban
ISBN-10: 0275972267
ISBN-13: 9780275972264
Publisher: Praeger
Language: English
Published: 03/30/2001
Pages: 248
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.28lbs
Size: 9.64h x 6.44w x 0.94d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 11/01/2001 pg. 10