Part 3

告诉朋友实情

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3. Sometimes people should tell lies. Do you agree?

答案:

The question of whether people should occasionally tell lies is indeed a contentious issue. While honesty is often hailed as a virtue, there are circumstances where a white lie might serve a greater purpose. For instance, lying to spare someone’s feelings can be seen as a compassionate act. If the truth would cause unnecessary pain or distress, a small deception may be justified to preserve emotional well-being.

However, one must tread carefully, as dishonesty can erode trust. When lies become habitual, they can lead to a cascade of complications, damaging relationships and personal integrity. Thus, the key lies in the intent behind the lie. If the intention is to protect rather than deceive maliciously, then one could argue that a lie is permissible. Ultimately, the moral implications of lying are complex, and each situation demands careful consideration of the potential consequences.


助记: contentious issue, virtue, white lie, greater purpose, compassionate act, unnecessary pain, justified, emotional well-being, erode trust, cascade of complications, damaging relationships, personal integrity, intent, protect, moral implications, careful consideration.


翻译:

人们是否应该偶尔说谎是一个有争议的问题。虽然诚实通常被视为一种美德,但在某些情况下,一个善意的谎言可能会服务于更大的目的。例如,谎言可以用来保护某人的感情,这被看作是一种富有同情心的行为。如果真相会导致不必要的痛苦或困扰,那么小小的欺骗可能是合理的,以维护情感上的幸福。

然而,人们必须谨慎行事,因为不诚实可能会破坏信任。当谎言变得习惯性时,它们可能会导致一系列复杂问题,损害人际关系和个人诚信。因此,关键在于谎言背后的意图。如果意图是为了保护而不是恶意欺骗,那么可以说说谎是可以接受的。最终,谎言的道德含义是复杂的,每种情况都需要仔细考虑潜在的后果。


笔记:

  1. contentious (/kənˈtɛn.ʃəs/) - causing or likely to cause an argument, 争议的
  2. virtue (/ˈvɜːr.tʃuː/) - behavior showing high moral standards, 美德
  3. white lie (/waɪt laɪ/) - a harmless or trivial lie, especially one told to avoid hurting someone's feelings, 善意的谎言
  4. greater purpose (/ˈɡreɪtər ˈpɜːrpəs/) - a more significant or meaningful aim, 更大的目的
  5. compassionate (/kəmˈpæʃ.ən.ət/) - feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others, 富有同情心的
  6. justified (/ˈdʒʌs.tɪ.faɪd/) - shown to be right or reasonable, 合理的
  7. erode trust (/ɪˈroʊd trʌst/) - to gradually destroy or diminish trust, 破坏信任
  8. cascade of complications (/kæˈskeɪd əv ˌkɒmplɪˈkeɪʃənz/) - a series of problems that follow one another, 一系列复杂问题
  9. personal integrity (/ˈpɜːrsənl ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/) - adherence to moral and ethical principles, 个人诚信
  10. intent (/ɪnˈtɛnt/) - an aim or plan, 意图
  11. moral implications (/ˈmɔːrəl ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃənz/) - the ethical consequences of an action, 道德含义
  12. careful consideration (/ˈkɛr.fəl kənˌsɪd.əˈreɪ.ʃən/) - thoughtful examination of all factors, 仔细考虑