Making lying illegal

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:09

What do you think the world would be like if I suddenly became King and made it illegal to tell a lie? Do you think the world would be a better or worse place?

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:17

Don't worry, it's only a game, I'm not about to become king of the world.

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:18

Vanilla said:
The birth rate woud drop to zero, there would be no relationships.

"Does my bum look big in this?"

"yes"

*slap*

Well, I suppose you could still sugar-coat things. You could still say "you're looking very voluptuous" or something instead.

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:19

Roduga said:
In normal circumstances:

Parent: Doctor, please tell us how she died.
Doctor: She passed away peacefully, without any pain.
Parent now feels slightly better.

In your kingdom:

Parent: Doctor, please tell us how she died.
Doctor: 'Pain' won't even cover it. She was screaming to the end. The was blood and poo flying everywhere.
Parent now feels far worse and will need to see a shrink for the next 2 years.

Hmmm, I kind of like the second version better anyway.

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:21

Rebelius said:
how would you police it?

surely it's like an unwritten rule that the majority of the time, people should tell the truth anyway?

Yes, but what if it became a written rule?

I mean - if it wasn't safe to assume that most of the time, people were telling the truth then would there be any point in being able to talk?

Well, that's the idea. With this imaginary scenario, it would become more safe to assume that people were telling the truth because instances of lying would decrease dramatically.

I am not sure what the punishment would be, though. Maybe force them to watch eragon or something.

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:28

I didn't say everyone would stop doing it.

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:50

Ummm, no, that's not what I meant.

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:53

cleanbluesky said:
So the King's opinion would be at the mercy of the government officials who decide Truth?

Truth is truth, lies are lies. If someone presents something as the truth and it is found to be otherwise then it is a lie. What's so complicated about that?

It would be hard being a King without lying, but we are not discussing me being the King of the World, we are entertaining the possiblity of lying being illegal.

GFX707 · 29 Apr 2007 at 21:59

semi-pro waster said:
Did you just watch Liar Liar or something? ninja economist is right, politics and law would almost certainly fall apart, never mind the rest of the world.

No, it's just something I think about sometimes. Don't tell me you never think about what you'd do if you had unlimited power to change the country. Or is it just me that thinks about those things?

Seriously, do you think our society would collapse if this law were made?