Honesty is the best policy.
Is it?
We've all heard this saying before, but is it really something to live by? The Webster dictionary defines honesty as free of deceit and untruthfulness. This seems to be a negative definition. What I mean by this is that this statement defines honesty as being "free" of something, instead of what it actually is. I asked a random group of people, friends and strangers alike, what they believed honesty meant, which yielded varied responses.
"Telling the truth."
"Being loyal to someone."
"Keeping your promises."
"Not betraying someone's trust."
"Being yourself."
"Revealing what you perceive to be the truth."
"Really saying how you feel and not holding back even if there are consequences."
Most people view honesty as a good value to have. In our society, being truthful and loyal is seen as being a good person. However, Socrates comes to mind in regards to viewing the other side . This Stoic is known for always questioning society's norms and finding the flaw in the status quo. Socrates would argue that while honesty can be a great trait in a person, it can also be a very hurtful and negative quality that one exhibits. A lot of people use honesty as an excuse to be cruel. For example, a friend tells you that you look like a giraffe because you have an unusually long neck. Though this may be honest, it is also unnecessary to share because it is mean; this is brutal honesty. People abuse the honor of honesty quite often, and it's always sad to see. But now we see that honesty can both be a good trait and a not so good one.
With honesty, we are given a choice. No one is forcing anyone to be honest, but it is of course a huge moral unwritten (or written if you want to get technical AKA the Ten Commandments, laws, etc.). It all depends on how we approach our statements and how that affects someone else or the situation itself. It is not easy to be honest, nor is it hard.
ReplyDeleteGreat application of Socratic thinking! Questioning if honesty is the best policy seems counter-intuitive initially but you are really able to ask compelling questions. In the end it seems clear that it might not always be the best policy. Excellent!
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