Lies can be small lies, often called "white lies" or "fibs." We've all lied about seeing a movie we haven't seen. "Hey Geoff, remember that part in The First Wives' Club?" "Oh yeah! That was a good movie." Why do we do that? A simple "No, I haven't seen that movie" would have sufficed, but yet a lie seemed to be called for in that situation.

Also considered "white lies" are the lies that raise one's self esteem. "Honey, does this dress make me look fat?" "No way. A pork loin strapped to your hips couldn't make you look fat." Sure, she might look horrible in that dress, but if you had said "Yes. Call Jenny Craig NOW!," she would have felt horrible and maybe even started crying. That would have hurt more than the lie itself.

Then there are the slightly more serious lies that are still considered "white lies." Like when you scratch your parents' car while driving to Mexico but you tell them it was at Wal-Mart. Sure it didn't happen there, but hey, at least you told them.

After those, you have flat-out lies. These are like when you take money from your mom's wallet but blame your little brother for it and he gets grounded for two months. Or when you're talking to your friends and you make up this whole story about driving home one night and helping a woman in distress and how she "repaid" you for your services.

Then there's serious lies. These lies fall under things like "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" while under oath.

And on top of those, there's a whole different breed of lies -- the exclusion lies. These lies are made when you leave out all or part of the truth. The car/Mexico/Wal-Mart lie does fit here, but it's not quite as serious. I'm talking about when your parents tell you not to go to a party and you sneek out and go anyway and you don't tell them. Hiding things is deceit. Deceit is a form of lying. Hiding information, therefore, is lying. This is the most common and most serious type of lie.

People lie for various reasons -- to cover tracks, make someone else happy, make us look slightly better, or because of our own simple stupidity -- but mostly, it's because it has become common practice among society. Lies can also cause damage of varying degrees, from being grounded to being jailed, but no consequence makes you hurt more than seeing how upset and dissapointed you have made someone you love.