Do you think that honesty is always the best policy?
By dutchess67
@dutchess67 (917)
United States
January 22, 2008 12:34pm CST
I am watching The View and the topic was honesty and how much honesty is a good thing.
Whoopi Goldberg made a very good point. She said that honesty that causes harm to another person isn't necessarily a good thing.
I have always tried to be an honest person. I may not always have all of the information correct, but I do try to be honest in what I know. I don't, as a rule, lie. I just feel like it's better, for me, to be straight with people and many of my friends have come to know that I will always tell them what I think, even if it's something that they don't want to hear and it's made many of my friendships stronger as a result.
How do you feel about honesty and what might be too much?
3 people like this
9 responses
@dutchess67 (917)
• United States
22 Jan 08
Actually, I don't think the point that Whoopi was making was about lying so much as refraining from saying anything rather that spitting it out and causing someone pain.
And not telling someone something that could cause them pain isn't necessarily going to cause them harm down the road.
1 person likes this
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
22 Jan 08
Honesty is the best policy ONLY in some situations but sometimes a lie needs to be said to protect the person or persons from being attacked or abused! I know because when I was in an abusive relationship I had to lie to protect myself and it saved so much aggro and heartache by lying. In the end to get shot of my ex I had to lie and it a very big lie, if I was honest I'd still be there now or would have left this world because I couldn't bare it any longer. The lie saved me and saved my sanity. So there is never any hard and fast rules. Besides honesty hurts! And it's not always the best policy.
@sheenshaukat (2617)
• Pakistan
27 Jan 08
Honesty is the best policy. this proverb or phrase is consisted on sayings of the wise people. this is time tested truth. No business can run with application of this universal truth as a rule of business. no friendship can be established. no popularity could be gained without honesty. every relation and every dealing could only get the destination of success if and only if we adopt honesty as our policy. there is no policy we can put before or against the honesty as it is our faith that the honesty is a best policy.
@marshall_blake2000 (304)
• United States
23 Jan 08
Its seems a lie always bites you in the butt when you tell them. And then people don't think that your a good friend when they find you did not tell them the truth. I believe tell the truth or do not say any thing at all. Of course most people can not keep there mouths shut, and get them selves in areas where they feel they have to lie.
In short just keep telling the truth, and if you think you could tell a lie shut up lol. This is my veiw on it. have a good day.
1 person likes this
@charmed44903 (109)
• United States
23 Jan 08
I would have to say i agree with you for sure. I believe if you are upfront with people from day one then there is no lies between you. I think honesty is the only right thing in life.
1 person likes this
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
22 Jan 08
I think it will depend how do you perceive it! For me I think listening to your inner self or to your soul and doing or speaking the thing bywhich your inner self or rather say your consscience doesn't feel sorry, it is honesty! To be honest one need not train one self1 that comes very natural to one1 Just look at an innocent child he is vey honest in his talks and deeds too! But with the age, experiences of thelife, others behaviour and bad repurcations which he has encountered being honest makes one to mould oneself as adishonest person! I am an honest person basically,but some instances where I feelby bit dishonest if I am doing something better for other person without causing any harm to any one I definitely become dishonest! But for my personal sake , it is a big NO! If not a God fearing person, I firmly believe that we have to face the repurcations only in this life time and we reap as we sow! So though people may think adament or too staright forward person, i prefer to be an honest person! Thanks for the discussion I liked to participate in it!
@asawako48162 (3321)
• United States
16 Feb 08
sometimes a good lie is better then a bad truth..we don't always know what the truth will reveal..but a well placed lie will make things more interesting..
we tell big lie ..and we will be more believable..it is what Hitler said and he was a most big liar of all time and so was my brother Harlan..and Tik boy too
