Discussing :: Honesty - the best policy

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Honesty, whether in a relationship or dieting in the end proves to be the best policy. To often one gets caught out in a lie or to lie to oneself. The old proverb 'cheats never prosper'.......
Have you been in a situation ( besides turning down the scales) or been cheating or cheated on.,?

one should always try to be honest though I believe there are little fibs and then down right hurtful and deceitful ones, best bet is always try to be honest to the best of ones ability I haven't cheated on my partner and as far as I am aware he hasn't either, we both trust each other and are honest towards each other and our relationship but that tends to be based on our open communication but honesty is always the best policy and I always try to do so in all areas of my life and relationships

I don’t believe humans are intrinsically altruistic. No matter what we do, we expect outcomes and will do all we can to achieve the outcome that fits our needs.

Basically, honesty, just like dishonesty, is about doing what you can to make yourself feel good and to survive in our world. The word honesty derives from the Latin honestus "honourable, respected, regarded with honour" and I guess this definition encompasses the modern idea of honesty - the virtue of truthfulness, lack of deceit, trustworthiness.

I've been shocked a few times by dishonesty over the years. I can still recall the first ever real act of dishonesty I witnessed - a small friend stealing a matchbox car from a shop when I was about eight years old. Then later, when I was thirteen, I saw a new girl at my school, cheating, with a list of French vocabulary up her sleeve, during an exam. These ‘shocks’ stand out in my memory; but I got used to it. I've seen people shoplift. I've heard people boasting about inflating their insurance claims. I've watched the silence when someone has been undercharged at a restaurant. I’ve heard a million excuses. These are not huge things but they definitely make me feel uneasy and made me question “why?”

Perhaps the root of dishonesty is simply selfishness - lying, cheating and stealing offering a quick term fix to low self-esteem. Or maybe dishonesty makes some people feel good about themselves – to have one over others.

So what is the root of honesty? Is it selflessness? Why be honest? Is it just fear of getting caught out? Does it make people feel good to respect others and their rights, dealing as you would be dealt. Maybe we recognise we need a certain degree of honesty for society to function which is why we have laws to try to keep us honest. Maybe we fear damnation and hell!

Then again, can honesty be misplaced? Are ‘white lies’ sometimes justified? What if they are used to avoid unnecessary conflict or the hurt or humiliation of others? Is it wrong for mother to steal food for her starving children?

It sounds like I am sitting in my glass temple feeling self righteous. Being respected, being ‘honourable’ is important to me. I try to be honest. But no, unfortunately I believe everyone is dishonest to some lesser or greater degree. For better or for worse, dishonesty seems to be part of the human condition –the way people cope with their own shortcomings and those of others.

Cats, on the other hand….

You have nothing without honesty.

I believe that a person should always be honest (possibly because I believe in karma!) and never let anything hold them back!

It is quite simple....You never have to remember the truth...as it flows naturally...lies on the other hand you have to remember what you had lied about and this is not easy.....what a tangled web we weave .......Honesty is the best policy !!!!

Being honest makes you a good person. Right or wrong at work or play, if you screw up or are not happy about something.... speak up. The key factor in a relationship is being true and honest every time.

Honesty is the best policy

one so has to be honest as in the long run its the liar that gets hurt the most

From real experience the truth comes out in the end so I really do stick to the truth or avoid telling lies where possible