Honesty

Is honesty really the best policy? Is brutal honesty something to cheer? Is there a reason that most people lie?

Sometimes, no, and of course.

Within close relationships, it's usually best to be honest. But not always. There are times when lying is good, kind, and far less likely to get you stabbed. Say you've been happily married/co-habitating or just blissfully in love for a significant period of time. You are in a fight, or on a break, or whatever, and possibly there is a night of casual sex with someone whom you care nothing for. The great dilemma, to tell or not to tell? Telling might make you feel better, because carrying a secret around is painful and almost suffocating. And your significant other might claim to want to know the truth. In fact, they probably believe they do.

They don't. No one wants to know that. No one needs to know that. Alleviating your own conscience is not always a good idea. Sometimes it's good to keep things inside. Lie to yourself and everyone around you. I know, that's old school.

If you want to be an honest person, live honestly. Otherwise you're just being mean.

Brutal Honesty. Why are people so gleefully proud of this trait? I am far too honest. But even I know when to keep quiet, or tell an appropriate social lie. Brutal honesty is just that:brutal. It's not necessary or nice. It's not helpful. It serves no purpose at all except for the Brutally Honest One to feel slightly superior for a little while whenever they see a chance to tell other people why they suck. I am not a fan of this one. If we were all totally honest all the time, society would collapse. There would be no government, plenty of war, no love, and not much sex. "The Invention of Lying" was a pretty fantastic movie but, I don't want to live in that world. I LIKE it when people tell me 'omg no, you're not that fat, you're totally pretty, and your alcoholism is ADORABLE'. The world of half truths and lies is my world, and I enjoy it here.

I've pretty much explained the reasons that people lie. The reasons that people NEED to lie. I don't lie about myself or my life, although I do try to keep some things back. No, really, I do. But I lie about a lot of other things. Lies keep us together, stop us from killing each other, and make some of us feel like it's really ok to wear those pants even though they ceased to be appropriate 8 pounds ago.