When men and women punish each other for truth telling, we reinforce the notion that lies are better.
Lying has become so much the accepted norm that people lie even when it would be simpler to tell the truth.
Widespread cultural acceptance of lying is a primary reason many of us will never know love
While privacy strengthens all our bonds, secrecy weakens and damages connection. Lerner points out that we do not usually "know the emotional costs of keeping a secret" until the truth is disclosed. Usually, secrecy involves lying. And lying is always the setting for potential betrayal and violation of trust.
Even the wealthiest professional woman can be "brought down" by being in a relationship where she longs to be loved and is consistently lied to. To the degree that she trusts her male companion, lying and other forms of betrayal will most likely shatter her self-confidence and self-esteem.
