In English a white lie means a lie of good intention. But whether people should tell a white lie remains controversial. A case in point is that whether the doctor should inform the patient about the true condition of his illness when he is suffering an incurable disease. Just as shown in the picture, the doctor is now caught in a dilemma. He can’t decide whether he should tell or conceal the patient’s serious condition.
Some people hold that telling patients about their true conditions mayrisk destroying their hope, which may make the illness even worse. So it’sbetter to tell the patient a white lie. People against this view argue thata while lie is after all a lie. The patients should be informed of theircondition since it is their legal right to know the truth of the fact.
Lies have been recognized as a synonym for cheating and hypocrisy and liars are often held in contempt. However, sometimes we need lies in real life, because a white lie can give one comfort and encouragement. If a
seriously ill patient, on hearing your while lie, can refresh himself to fight against the illness, don’t you think your lie is meaningful?
