University of Virginia Library

Morally Unconscionable

Cheating, stealing, and lying
have at least one common
denominator. As a cheater, liar, or
thief, you intend to benefit from
someone else's harm. I find that
morally unconscionable, and I
think no society, no community,
can be maintained anywhere where
that kind of conduct is tolerated.

The issue of how lying fits into
the Honor System has been the
subject of much controversy. When
my mother, as she is want to do,
comes waltzing down the front
stairs of my house in some ghoulish
creation, and I say to her, "Boy,
that's really nice looking," when in
fact I don't believe that at all, that
is not a lie because she is not
thereby harmed. I am not trying to
benefit by her harm; I am trying to
make a social amenity. We all make
a number of untrue statements
every day.