Liar Liar Pants on Fire - Commentary on "Looking for the Lie"

The NYT audience is a very literate, educated, and professional demographic that is aware of national and global affairs. This article can serve as an introduction to those people who are relatively naive about lie detection. After reading this article it is quite evident that the reader will have a better understanding of how lie detection works right now and what is being done to research and/or improve upon it. In addition, I feel the typical NYT reader would be a well informed individual, who would find ways to discuss or make use of any bit of knowledge he/she obtains. This article would only help to add to that person's repetoire.

A particular concern that readers have, and that this article draws on, would be that of national security in the post-9/11 age. Ever since 9/11 we live in a world that is lead by fear of global terror. Gone are the days when we were told by our president that "...all we have to fear is fear itself.", instead we are told of the iminent danger that lingers on the horizon; as if it were never there in the first place. Readers of this article would gain a deeper understanding of how research and science in this particular area is paving the way for a more secure United States. In addition this article does describe the various discrpencies and protests that arise when polygraphs are used in court rooms and government employment screening. Stress and anxiety are two of the most common reasons that a person could fail a polygraph. The article does mention how one bad day could label an innocent person as liar. This in itself draws on many ethical and moral issues that go way beyond the spectrum of this discussion.

I believe this article is meant to shine some light on a rarely discussed method of interrogation and government screening. Most people know what a polygraph is, few know how inconsistent and unreliable those readings are deemed by many professionals, and even fewer know what the government and other organizations are researching to find a end-all be-all lie detector. After reading the article I feel the author is trying to shine light on the many facets of lie detection. With equal exposure to the various subtopics I feel the author encompasses the past, present, future of lie detection its moral and ethical issues, and lastly what it means for our global society.