What is Deception

Our ability to deceive one another is linked to our high level of self-awareness. Deception is a unique trait that separates us from the animal kingdom. We lie to each other for personal gain; it’s a mechanism that monkeys use on a primal level.

Art of the State: Banksy

Monkeys usually call out to others when they find food so that they can share it; sometimes the monkey that finds the food will not call out to others and in a bid for self-preservation, it will hoard it all instead.

I suppose the reward is far greater than the risk; evidence suggests that our ability to recognise deception is about 53% accurate. Deception is a survival trait that we pass onto our babies; at its most basic level deception is self-preservation.

Ali x

New Scientist: The Truth About Lies

Misdirecting the Truth

We all lie right? The world is made up of truths which are clouded by our own theatrics; I like to see the world as a big blank canvas in which everyone can paint on with their own kind of brush.

It gets to the point where lies can’t really be recognised. Even Exaggerations and Fabrications are types of lies which ever so slightly bend the truth. Well I wouldn’t hold it against us, it is part of our design and how we are all able to get along so marvelously.

The video below shows how easy it can be to manipulate truth using wordplay (3mins) and hide truth from plain sight with misdirection (5mins):

Michael Finney is a master of misdirection. He shows that truths can be indistinguishable from lies if framed correctly.

Ali x