Honesty is the best policy

Just tell the truth. Seems like pretty simple advice.

So why do so many people have such a hard time doing it?

It’s one of the “10 Commandments,” but even those who want them posted in every school and courthouse on the planet have a hard time keeping this one.

After giving the matter some thought, I’ve identified eight different kinds of people who have a hard time being completely truthful. You can recognize these folks by the excuses they typically use when they lie:

The Philosophers.

“What is truth?” “It’s not that simple.” “You mean YOUR truth.” “Truth is relative.” “Truth is an illusion.”

The Pragmatists.

“You’ve got to be selective.” “Never tell the WHOLE truth.” “It’ll get me in trouble.” “It’ll get me fired.” “It’ll get you fired.” “It’ll get us both arrested and/or sued.”

The Pacifiers.

“Loyalty is more important than truth.” “Mind your own business.” “Live and let live.” “Go along to get along.”

The Judgers.

“That’s really naive.” “That’s terrible advice.” “You need to grow up.” “Who are YOU to call anybody out?” “Bad idea.”

The Condescenders.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” “You obviously don’t live in the real world.” “People can’t handle the truth.” “Good luck with that.”

The Politicians.

“You’ve got to be strategic.” “You’ve got to be smart.” “You have to pick your battles.” “Whose side are you on anyway?” “But it would cost me some votes.”

The Humanists.

“Relationships are more important than truth.” “You’ll hurt their feelings.” “They will avoid you like the plague.” “You’ll die alone.”

The Reverse Psychologists.

“Why would you even bring this up?” “I’ll bet you don’t always tell the truth.” “That’s easy for you to say, you have tenure.”

What’s your “go-to” explanation when you feel you can’t be completely honest?

Tell us the truth.

Aaron W. Hughey

Bowling Green