We all lie. Every day, in ways both conscious and unconscious, we deceive ourselves and others. This book examines why.
Drawing on evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and social psychology, it explores how deception evolved as a human survival mechanism, why our memories constantly reconstruct the past, and how cognitive dissonance shapes the stories we tell ourselves. It investigates the social lies that maintain relationships, the professional personas we construct for success, and the digital identities we curate online.
The book also confronts darker deceptions: gaslighting, manipulation tactics, pathological lying, and institutional fraud. It examines the psychological trauma caused by systematic lying and when deception crosses from social tool to weapon.
The final section offers practical frameworks for living more authentically while accepting that perfect honesty is impossible. It provides techniques for self-awareness, honest communication, and building cultures where truth can exist alongside necessary social fiction.
