We’re not built to tell the truth

Humans are social creatures, and our evolution has favoured keeping the peace over “needless” honesty. In early human societies, survival depended on staying part of the group; telling the unfiltered truth could be very dangerous. Being cast out from the group meant facing threats alone, which could be a literal death sentence.

We can all relate to the discomfort that comes with telling or hearing the truth. It reflects an unconscious sense that, generally, truth — telling isn’t natural to us.