Extract A
Honesty can be understood as the practice of both telling the truth and of avoiding deception by either omission or misdirection. This concept, especially as it relates to individual interpretations of honesty, has garnered attention in the fields of philosophy and psychology.
Many people simply view honesty as the act of telling the truth, but the concept is deeper and more complex than that. The concept of truth in itself is largely a subjective one; what is true for one person may not necessarily be true for another. Therefore, at times it may be hard to speak only the truth, as a person’s understanding of truth is largely influenced by their own experiences, perspectives, and biases.
The concept of honesty also brings up the question of whether choosing to be honest necessitates telling everything or whether withholding some information is the more morally responsible choice. A person who is asked for an opinion about a personal matter, for example, may find it necessary to consider the question of whether it is better to be honest even if doing so causes another person to experience hurt feelings. Some might also struggle with deciding whether to keep certain information private in order to prevent hurt, embarrassment, or other negative consequences.
Philosophers have considered these and other questions about honesty for centuries but have found no clear answers. Most individuals use their own moral code to decide when it is best to be completely honest and when it may be more advisable to withhold information or otherwise avoid the whole truth.
Extract B
Experts suggest minimizing details while staying true to the facts for younger children, but older kids and teens can often handle more information.
For some parents, being honest with your child may seem too difficult or inappropriate at times. This can be especially true when dealing with difficult situations, like divorce, grief, or tough current events. You might think your child is too young, or not mature enough, to handle the information. But at the same time, lying can burden yourself.
According to experts, honesty is generally the best policy when it comes to your kids. However, there’s some nuance[1] to how you deliver that information based on your child’s age and sensitivity level.
You might wonder if it’s ever beneficial to lie to your child or tell half-truths based on their age or level of maturity. Or, should you never be anything but totally honest as a parent? “In general, it is not advisable to lie,” said Dr. Anita Gadhia-Smith, a Washington, D.C.-based psychotherapist who counsels individuals, couples, and families.
But telling all might not be appropriate either, she adds. Because some kids are more mature than others, Gadhia-Smith advises parents to trust their own inner guidance about what feels right to them.
Having difficult conversations with your children may contribute to stronger family bonds and can provide opportunities for parents to model coping skills.
[1] Nuance – a subtle difference in or shade of meaning or expression
Extract C
So what do we do instead of being honest with ourselves? We play little games with ourselves, or minimize our feelings. We might even convince ourselves of things that are absolutely NOT true, in order to make peace with non-ideal circumstances over which we feel we have little influence or control.
These strategies to avoid being honest with ourselves are especially common when embracing the fullness of our power feels scary. Honesty challenges us to take action and do courageous things in service of our own health and happiness.
Honesty is hard. Honesty is elusive. It can be anxiety-provoking. It can also be exhilarating. Being honest can be quite tricky, in reality — Whether we’re being honest with ourselves, or with others. But above all else: Being self-aware, and being honest with ourselves (whether or not we choose to act on our truth!) is essential to our overall well-being, and the quality of our lives and relationships.
Being honest with ourselves is crucial for our growth (no matter how uncomfortable it could get), and some real-world, down-to-earth strategies to help you connect with your deepest truth.
Extract D
People lie for a variety of reasons—to protect others, to protect themselves, or to benefit in some way. Regardless of one’s motivation, dishonesty can have serious negative consequences. Even when somebody has good intentions for not being honest, the act of deceit can lead to a decreased sense of trust. Not only can this cause relationship difficulties, but in some situations dishonesty may also lead to a tarnished reputation, career issues, and other social difficulties.
Lying has its benefits. It allows people to feel better about themselves, makes themselves look better in others’ eyes, and maintain good relationships. At the same time, lying can also create problems. Lying can be cognitively depleting, it can increase the risk that people will be punished, it can threaten people’s self-worth by preventing them from seeing themselves as “good” people, and it can generally erode trust in society.
Dishonesty can also be contagious. Research shows that when any individual acts in their own best interest instead of being honest, that behaviour may then be established as a norm, leading to an increase in the number of people acting in an unethical and/or deceitful manner.