Is it good to lie ?

Is it good to lie ?
White Lies vs. Real Lies
White lies are often innocuous. We tell them to create a magical world for our children, or, more often, as a way to be polite and demonstrate social manners.
Overall, white lies are for beneficial purposes. Being totally honest in some cases would create unpleasantness or be offensive. Some view white lies as a sign of civility.
Real lies tend to be more self-serving. They may result in negative consequences for yourself and others.

How White Lies Can Be Good for Us ?

If we lie to benefit other people, these are considered white lies. Here’s a good illustration: A student had a hard time his first week at college and told his parents he was doing well so they wouldn’t worry.
In this situation, he was thoughtful about other people’s feelings and was guided by empathy and kindness. The second week he adjusted and was glad he didn’t upset his parents prematurely.
Scientists call these well-intended falsehoods prosocial lies. These differ from antisocial lies, which are told for personal gain. According to research, prosocial lies can actually build trust and a sense of benevolence between people.

How Real Lies Can Be Bad for Us ?

With real lies, the intent is often selfish. These are the most damaging kinds of lies. To find evidence of them, look for falsehoods that promote a person’s self-interests obviously at the expense of others.
To make it clearer, if your best girlfriend asks how she looks in her new dress and you think it’s too tight, but you say she looks great to boost her self-esteem, that’s a white lie. But complimenting her because you want to look better than her at the party, which is competitive and more indicative of selfish intent is a real lie.
When it comes to truth telling, deception and trust, real lies can be destructive. If things don’t add up or if you suspect someone of lying, there are ways to find out.
When It’s Necessary to Lie ?
Sometimes the stakes are high and lies are necessary to safeguard someone’s well-being. In these types of situations, lying for the sake of protecting yourself or loved ones is deemed acceptable:
Lying to an abuser to escape from or protect someone from domestic abuse.
Lying to an abuser to protect children from child abuse.
Lying to someone who is playing with weapons.
Lying to someone who seems intoxicated or on drugs.
Lying to someone who seems to be suffering a mental health issue.

Overall, it's important to look at the morality and societal acceptance of the type of life. White lies are acceptable and help our society function. Real lies are deemed to be universally wrong. So while it’s okay to lie, in most cases, it’s better to strive not to.