HONESTY

Benjamin Franklin once wrote: "Honesty is the best policy", and nearly everyone agrees. However, when it comes down to it, many times we choose to overlook that maxim. After all, not even Franklin  could have been that honest.

Honesty may be the best policy, but it is not the only one. Every now and then, a little white lie becomes indispensable. And every now and then it turns out to be the best choice. We have lied to our parents in order to save our skin whenever we desobeyed or broke mom’s favourite vase; we have blamed our dog for eating our homework; we make up excuses for being late; we lie to our best friend telling her that the guy who used to date her will regret leaving her and will come back begging for forgiveness; we lie by telling a friend that nobody noticed his falling down the stairs at that party, or the fact that he had food on his teeth. The thing is: deep down inside, they know we are lying.

This kind of “dishonesty” is usually expected. The reason for telling a white lie is always benevolent. We tell them to avoid embarrassing ourselves or others, to soften ugly truths, to disguise reality by dressing it up and making it tolerable. Sometimes it is rude to tell a blunt truth because it shows we do not care much about the effect it may have on others. Being completely honest means speaking the truth in every interaction, no matter what. But sometimes we do not want to know the truth. Sometimes the truth is not good enough.

Honesty is professed to be what everyone gives preference to, it is claimed to be everyone’s policy. However, reality dos not back such allegations. In fact, the popular saying actually dates from the 16th century and it is attributed to the Archbishop Whately of Dublin. This time we read: "Honesty is the best policy; but he who is governed by the maxim is not an honest man." Intreresting second thought...

So, I guess honesty is aknowledging that everybody lies at one time or another. Honesty is, as Billy Joel well said, such a lonely word.