Being honest…

The best measure of a man’s honesty isn’t his income tax return. It’s the zero adjust on his bathroom scale. ~ Arthur C. Clarke

Is honesty honestly the best policy or is the middle route of a bit of honesty and a bit of lies seems safer. On an average every person lies at least 4-5 times in a day (though the average for men seems higher than the women, not being biased here) which on a real note seems acceptable. We all have our share of white lies on display at work, with our family, spouse, and friends.

As they say truth and honesty come at a price, the only question being here at what expense. What is it that is at stake? Our moral standards persuade us to comply to honestly. In our day to day living it is essential that we incorporate this virtue. In this generation x where we could stoop to any levels to survive the cut throat competition and achieve our ambitions, little does it matter that we compromise on honesty. Survival of the fittest seems to be the worldly mantra now. So in a professional environment it’s a given, that you compromise on your honesty at some point in time.

Honesty is the rarest wealth anyone can possess, and yet all the honesty in the world ain't lawful tender for a loaf of bread.  ~Josh Billings

In the truest term honesty can never be ‘policy’, and it can’t be applied to all walks of life. Where in a competitive world conciliation with your honesty is tolerable, how acceptable is it in our relationships. Do we risk losing the people we love and care at the cost of being honest? Or do they strengthen the ties? Where this topic could be vastly debatable, it does require a good deal of reflection. We all want to be honest when it comes to our relationships, but whether or not the opposite person mature enough to handle it will always be incomprehensible. And then the only safer path appears to be that of white lies. But the only thing one should be wary of is not to allow these white lies progress to murky deceptions.  To allow almost total honesty would mean oodles and oodles of trust in a relationship, where one knows their limitations and adheres to the same. And when you find yourself at the receiving end of these ‘ugly truths’, all you can do is muster up all the maturity you have and trust ;)

Honesty is the cruelest game of all, because not only can you hurt someone – and hurt them to the bone – you can feel self-righteous about it at the same time. ~ Dave Van Ronk

We all have our reasons (good enough) to do (or say) what we do, whether honest or not, we should be responsible for our own ugly truths. The toughest test would be being honest and true to oneself… it wouldn’t ensure you will be loved, but is certainly an integral part of it.