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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….
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