Deception guilt must also be distinguished from feelings of
guilt about the content of a lie. Suppose in The Winslow Boy
Ronnie actually had stolen the postal money order. He
might have had guilty feelings about the theft itself--
judged himself to be a terrible person for what he did. If
Ronnie had concealed his theft from his father he would
also have felt guilty about lying; that would be deception
guilt. It is not necessary to feel guilty about the content of
a lie to feel guilty about lying. Suppose Ronnie had stolen
from a boy who had cheated to defeat Ronnie in a school
contest. Ronnie might not feel guilty about stealing from
such a nasty schoolmate; it might seem like appropriate
revenge. But he could still feel deception guilt about con-
cealing his theft from the schoolmaster or his father. The
psychiatric patient Mary did not feel guilty about her plan
Why Lies Fail 65
to commit suicide,
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doctor.