Being dishonest has somehow become normal and often can get you into less trouble than being honest. When did this happen? Why are we allowing ourselves to behave this way while still expecting to progress as a society of human beings? Perhaps I can make some speculations about the problem, which can help in moving towards a solution.
Honesty is defined by Merriam-Webster as: adherence to the facts. To me it means valuing the truth. Of course we need to consider discernment and when communicating the truth may actually cause harm, but in general honesty is a good policy.
One reason to avoid the facts is fear. Telling the truth can be scary. Saying something a person doesn’t want to hear is often avoided like the coronavirus. In modern society the urge to “be chill” have “good vibes” and continue being miserable seem to have outweighed straightforward communication, especially about how we feel. Feeling “bad” is often very off-putting for some and holding space for those of us going through shit is very hard for a lot of people who have been trained to always be “positive”. Society has clearly been conditioned in this way and it is robbing us of identifying our emotions and proceeding realistically. It is also encouraging us to lie to each other to “keep the peace” which adds up to have the exact opposite effect. “How are you?” is referring to how you are, not what you are doing.
Another reason for lying is because a person is self-centered. Consciously lying to another person is an action that demonstrates placing oneself above the recipient of the lie. A person may not be consciously aware that by lying, they are demonstrating this hierarchy, but is a selfish act that disrespects another person as though you are better than them.
Do we think we are kings and queens above honesty?
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