By Andy Brack
We live in an American era now when the little white lies that people tell are exploding everyday into big colorful tall tales.
You can see outright lies daily in political discourse in Congress. On television. In the media. And recently, lies soared as some people tried to take political advantage of storm tragedies when spreading filth that federal disaster aid was being provided in a partisan manner. It just isn’t, according to mainstream Republicans and Democrats.
There’s no single reason for the extra doses of lies, disinformation, misinformation, falsehoods and downright lies that assault us everyday. But the answer more than likely lies (no pun intended) at the intersection of a culture moving too fast, easy access to information that can be corrupted, immoral people using the internet to cause division, and a current political environment in which lying has become more common.
So when a pretty smart high school student lamented about how peers often use ChatGPT to generate human-like responses for assignments, we saw yet another instance about how too many students now seem to think it’s acceptable to turn in work that’s not their own. (We call that plagiarism.)
If you want to see how easy it is to use an automated tool to do your work for you, we asked this of ChatGPT: “Write a 200-word commentary for a South Carolina newspaper on why it is bad to lie.”
Read both options and then figure out which a human wrote.
Option 1: Lying erodes trust and undermines S.C.
Lying, regardless of intent, erodes trust and undermines the very foundation of our relationships and communities. In South Carolina, where our values are steeped in integrity and respect, dishonesty can have far-reaching consequences. When we lie, we not only deceive others but also create a cycle of mistrust that can lead to isolation and conflict.
In personal relationships, honesty fosters open communication and understanding. When lies are uncovered, they can lead to heartbreak, resentment, and a breakdown of connection. In professional settings, integrity is crucial; a culture of dishonesty can stifle collaboration and innovation, ultimately harming productivity and morale.
Moreover, lies can have societal implications. They can distort public opinion, fuel division, and erode confidence in institutions. In a time when misinformation spreads rapidly, the responsibility to uphold the truth becomes even more critical.
South Carolinians pride ourselves on our sense of community and shared values. By committing to honesty, we strengthen our bonds and create an environment where trust can flourish. Embracing transparency not only benefits individual relationships but also cultivates a more cohesive society. In a world that often feels divided, let us choose truth as our guiding principle.
Option 2: Lying hurts society and is a moral wrong
For our society to function, people need to be able to trust what others say. In South Carolina, which has a centuries-old tradition of seeking to follow the Ten Commandments, people are reminded at churches that they should follow these commandments, the ninth of which is about lying when it says, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
Lying hurts social order and fosters its breakdown because people have a more difficult time in knowing what’s real and what’s not. That can lead to the destruction of interpersonal relationships and impact how people interact with each other.
Some might argue that it’s OK to tell small lies to make some difficult situations easier. For example, a child of an elderly parent might tell people that he or she passed away peacefully when in fact the person went through great pain and stress. But many psychologists say that telling these “white lies” cause small breakdowns in our society.
For a civil society with democratic institutions, South Carolinians deserve honest interactions at work and school and with neighbors, employers and employees. If we succumb to dishonesty, we cause erosion of institutions in Palmetto State South Carolina. We must choose truth over lies.
If you picked Option 2 as the one written by a human, you’d be correct. (Note, however, that a couple of mistakes were added intentionally to make it look like ChatGPT!)
Bottom line: Candidates, students and people meeting for coffee need to stick to the truth and their own work. It’s what makes our democracy strong.
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report and the Charleston City Paper. Have a comment? Send it to feedback@statehousereport.com.
