Let’s face it: people lie.  We lie to each other and to ourselves. Is there a deeper reason why we do it?  In this episode, TED speakers deconstruct the hard truths of deception. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely explains the hidden reasons we think it’s okay to cheat or steal. Pamela Meyer points out manners and cues that can help us suss out a lie. Technology might actually force us to be more honest, says psychologist Jeff Hancock. Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things boils down to two of the brain’s most basic, hard-wired survival skills. Magician Eric Mead extends the placebo effect to magic, pulling off a gruesome trick that’s so convincing, you’ll cringe.