Is Deception Justified

301 Words2 Pages
Society has always taught people that “honesty is the best policy”, deception has always been viewed as uncouth and improper from society. Sometimes deception is justifiable if it is not used for personal gain or selfish motives but instead for an honorable intention. It can have positive consequences when it is used correctly. From the Greeks use of the Trojan horse, to colonist use of the espionage system during the American Revolution, exemplify that manipulation is tolerable in certain circumstances. In the epic, The Odysseus by Homer, the protagonist, Odysseus, and his men are held captive by a giant Cyclopes. The giant already killed two of his men and was looking to murder the rest of them. Odysseus had to think quickly before risking any other men. In the end he was able to deceive the giant and save his men from obliteration. Odysseus uses deception as tool which makes it acceptable because his main objective is to save his men. Correct use of deception is evident during the American Revolution. Colonists used the espionage system to help them win the war. It allowed them to deceive the British soldiers by allowing them to mobilize their troops across the East coast and warn allies of Britain’s future attacks. The use of deception allowed the colonists to win the American Revolution and escape Britain’s tyrannical rule over them. They freed themselves from oppression and gained their independence, Deception has a bad connotation because people do not understand when to use it. Depending on certain situations lies are not bad and sometimes are a necessity. For Odysseus to escape the Cyclops and colonists to win the Revolution it was necessary for them to use the art of deception. If used correctly and for a good intention it can be useful and
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