A Question of Lies

I've been having some deep thoughts about lies, people who tell lies and what the motivation is. Why do people lie? Even more, why do they lie about things that can be proven to be false? I don't know if I'm too trusting, but it seems to be a recurrent theme with people I encounter. The telling of lies that can be proven to be lies. It's frustrating as all hell.
In my search to understand the motivation for lying I came across this. It's good food for thought. It doesn't resolve my question, but it's a good stand on the couch kind of perspective.


The Question
anonymous

Were the whole world good as you – not an atom better-
Were it just as pure and true,
Just as pure and true as you;
Just as strong in faith and works;
Just as free from crafty quirks;
All extortion, all deceit;
Schemes its neighbors to defeat;
Schemes its neighbors to defraud;
Schemes some culprit to applaud-
Would this world be better?

If the whole world followed you – followed to the letter-
Would it be a nobler world,
All deceit and falsehood hurled
From it altogether;
Malice, selfishness, and lust,
Banished from beneath the crust,
Covering human hearts from view-
Tell me, if it followed you,
Would the world be better?