Black lies, or telling a lie to gain a personal benefit, are universally condemned. In contrast, white lies, or telling a lie to please another person, are seen as an innocent part of everyday interactions. Does that mean that white lies have no negative consequences? We discuss the origins and consequences of black lies and white lies, and point out the potentially ugly side of white lies. In everyday life, people sometimes tell “black lies”, and sometimes “white lies”. For both types of lies (or deception i ), the deceiver communicates misleading information to another person or group...