(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) When a lie is told, often the consequences are pushed aside.
It becomes a long-term problem born from a short-term solution.
But once the problem comes back, it can often be seen as a fall from grace much like Lance Armstrong's recent confession of using banned substances to aid in his seven Tour de France victories.
A lie can also be something that involves more people than expected, more notably pulling a nation's heartstrings in the form of Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o and his fabricated girlfriend.
In some form or fashion, everyone has told a lie at least once during their childhood.
"I turned that in and I sent that message and I made my bed," said Dr. Alisha Francis, a behavioral sciences professor at Northwest Missouri State University.
It is something that parents punish their children for but something a habit nobody truly breaks.
Why is it so hard to be honest?
"Sometimes I think we do it because we want to help other people," said Francis. "But other times I think it is more about us."
According to Dr. Francis, humans have two tendencies when they create a lie.
It is either to protect someone or to protect ourselves.
Whether there are good intentions or not, once a lie is started it can get out of control quickly.
"Sometimes we start ourselves down a track we don't realize we mean to," said Francis. "And it's something small like a white lie. And then something else comes up and we have to back up what we just said. Then we are definitely at a point we want to protect our identity and our self-esteem and our self-presentation."
It is something humanity seems to struggle with throughout time.
The effects of a lie is even one of the first lessons taught in the Bible from the story of man's earliest beginnings with Adam and Eve.
"They have to struggle with their lie and God cast them out of the garden," said Reverand Charles Caskey, interim rector at Christ Episcopal Church.
Visiting the story of the first lie ever told, there is the human nature of doing everything possible to hide the deception.
It is another example of how difficult it can be to admit the truth.
"We're afraid," said Caskey. "I think fear, pride, all of the seven deadly sins contribute to our feeling that we have to lie about who we are."
With all the problems associated with lying, why is it something people continue to do?
"People typically lie to cover up for something," said Detective Scott Coates with the St. Joseph Police Department. "Whether it is embarrassment or fear of what may happen to them."
It is something detectives at the St. Joseph Police Department battle every day sorting through fact and fabrication.
In more intense cases, a polygraph can be used to spot a liar.
But when it comes down to a final conclusion, it can be the a person's temperament and mannerism that can give away the lie.
"We're looking at a lot of different things, verbal and non-verbal cues," said Coates. "Different things they might say. The non-verbal cues that we're looking for, obviously if somebody is not giving you eye contact."
Experts like Coates said that even if a lie is told with the best intentions, it can be mentally exhausting to keep up with it.
In the end, the truth may have its day.
"We do need each other. We do need a community," said Caskey. "We need people who can be honest with us about ourselves and help us cleanse our hearts and get a new start."
But with the unexplored mediums and uses of technology still ahead, experts agree that the lies could continue to become more complex and affect more people.
It becomes a long-term problem born from a short-term solution.
But once the problem comes back, it can often be seen as a fall from grace much like Lance Armstrong's recent confession of using banned substances to aid in his seven Tour de France victories.
A lie can also be something that involves more people than expected, more notably pulling a nation's heartstrings in the form of Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o and his fabricated girlfriend.
In some form or fashion, everyone has told a lie at least once during their childhood.
"I turned that in and I sent that message and I made my bed," said Dr. Alisha Francis, a behavioral sciences professor at Northwest Missouri State University.
It is something that parents punish their children for but something a habit nobody truly breaks.
Why is it so hard to be honest?
"Sometimes I think we do it because we want to help other people," said Francis. "But other times I think it is more about us."
According to Dr. Francis, humans have two tendencies when they create a lie.
It is either to protect someone or to protect ourselves.
Whether there are good intentions or not, once a lie is started it can get out of control quickly.
"Sometimes we start ourselves down a track we don't realize we mean to," said Francis. "And it's something small like a white lie. And then something else comes up and we have to back up what we just said. Then we are definitely at a point we want to protect our identity and our self-esteem and our self-presentation."
It is something humanity seems to struggle with throughout time.
The effects of a lie is even one of the first lessons taught in the Bible from the story of man's earliest beginnings with Adam and Eve.
"They have to struggle with their lie and God cast them out of the garden," said Reverand Charles Caskey, interim rector at Christ Episcopal Church.
Visiting the story of the first lie ever told, there is the human nature of doing everything possible to hide the deception.
It is another example of how difficult it can be to admit the truth.
"We're afraid," said Caskey. "I think fear, pride, all of the seven deadly sins contribute to our feeling that we have to lie about who we are."
With all the problems associated with lying, why is it something people continue to do?
"People typically lie to cover up for something," said Detective Scott Coates with the St. Joseph Police Department. "Whether it is embarrassment or fear of what may happen to them."
It is something detectives at the St. Joseph Police Department battle every day sorting through fact and fabrication.
In more intense cases, a polygraph can be used to spot a liar.
But when it comes down to a final conclusion, it can be the a person's temperament and mannerism that can give away the lie.
"We're looking at a lot of different things, verbal and non-verbal cues," said Coates. "Different things they might say. The non-verbal cues that we're looking for, obviously if somebody is not giving you eye contact."
Experts like Coates said that even if a lie is told with the best intentions, it can be mentally exhausting to keep up with it.
In the end, the truth may have its day.
"We do need each other. We do need a community," said Caskey. "We need people who can be honest with us about ourselves and help us cleanse our hearts and get a new start."
But with the unexplored mediums and uses of technology still ahead, experts agree that the lies could continue to become more complex and affect more people.
