In The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan, truth is not a virtue—it is a liability. The hero survives not by honesty, but by deception, manipulation, and quick thinking. Lies are not condemned; they are expected. In fact, they are often admired.
James Morier’s 19th-century satire offers more than entertainment. It presents a harsh observation: in the Middle Eastern society as he personally throughout his life experienced it, lying was not an exception—it was a system.
In the world of Hajji Baba, everyone lies. Officials lie to rulers. Merchants lie to customers. Citizens lie to survive. The assumption is simple: if you are not deceiving, you are being deceived. Truth becomes negotiable, shaped by convenience, fear, or advantage.
Why does such a culture take root?
