Lügen lernen

Learning to lie

A tall tale by Marc Becker
for ages 9 and up

Most of the time, it's about making the best possible impression and gaining an advantage: Whether out of politeness, fear or other reasons, everyone lies several times a day, on average at least seventeen and a half times, according to a scientific source invented by the author of this play. But when is lying painful and insidious and when is it perhaps even really important and legitimate because you don't want to hurt, upset or offend your fellow human beings? Quite apart from the fact that the truth is perhaps the biggest lie of all. If everyone really does lie, it is probably a fact that no one wants to be caught lying and it would also be difficult to find someone who consciously enjoys being lied to by others.
Children start telling lies around the age of four to five. That's when the beautiful saying "the truth is in the mouth of a child" comes to an end. But lying has to be learned and is to a certain extent part of developing an independent personality. Practice makes a liar. And aren't all stories ultimately lies?