Why is it easy for individuals to believe a lie instead of the truth. Has society conditioned thems

Good question.

We work in patterns. We think in terms of a plan. Anything that fits in with our plan or pattern, we accept: anything that doesn't fit in we reject.

Will you allow me to comment on race?

Myself I think that, as a Christian, everyone is one of God's children no matter who they are or what they look like. So I get a bit upset if black people call me a honkey. I get equally upset if white people sidle up and start running down black people.

Why? It doesn't fit in either with my plan or with my pattern.

Myself, I think this pattern or plan is part of my make up which I learned when I was bout 5 years old.

It really matters, therefore, what our plan/pattern is. That is why I am proud to be a teacher.

I do hope that you are not offended by this answer. I am not trying to do anything other than illustrate how vitally important this pattern/plan is in real life.

Most people believe what they want to believe. The "pure" truth can be downright ugly, and we'd rather see/hear "pretty" things.

This probably is a result of societal conditioning. If the movie THE INVENTION OF LYING is to be "believed," lies may help hold society together. Can "politeness" and "civility" be regarded as forms of lying, at least in some cases?

Often it is easier to package a lie more attractively than the truth, to spin it in the direction the believer already wants to go. Real truth can raw, unattractive and scary. Once truth is re-packaged or spun it is not truth.