Is honesty always the best policy?

[Everylyric]

My answer is no. There are cases in which you have ethical obligation to lie...

[Lilly Marlene]

I agree with you on that.

I told my children there are three kinds of lies:

White lies such as "Oh, don't worry about that ...it is hardly noticeable at all ! "
where you protect somebody's feelings;

Weasel lies such as "No I was NOT looking at that [person of the opposite sex]"
where you keep yourself from getting in trouble;

and

Bearing false witness such as "That guy is the one who stole the statue [when he wasn't]"

The first one is completely harmless in my opinion.
The second one will just get us a reputation as a weasel.
But
The third one is a sin and we will owe a great price for it.

[saggyjones]

I agree that sometimes it's alright to lie, but even white lies can be bad. If you're friends with someone and you don't tell someone they look bad in a shirt or whatever (if they ask you) then their embarrassment is partially on your shoulders.

[Lilly Marlene]

I agree that sometimes it's alright to lie, but even white lies can be bad. If you're friends with someone and you don't tell someone they look bad in a shirt or whatever (if they ask you) then their embarrassment is partially on your shoulders.

:)

Just to be a reciprocal thorn in your side ...

No, I don't think white lies can be bad. The example you just gave is not a white lie.

Why not ?

Because of course I would tell someone if their shirt looked bad, especially if they asked me.
If I didn't, it could only be because I wanted to avoid an unpleasant reaction from them ...which makes it a weasel lie according to my model because I would be trying to keep myself out of trouble.

In the example I gave of a white lie, I was thinking not of clothing (which can be quickly changed) but rather of things a person can't help, like say a stone fell out of a woman's earring, or a guy had a chunk accidentally cut out in a haircut.

If this is unclear, bring it up to me later: my house is very noisy now and I find it hard to concentrate well in noise.

[Koios]

The benefit of always telling the truth is that you never have to keep track of your lies and in a way live without that burden. However, this is probably impossible and so in a way you will always have some amount of distress--there are many moral situations (involving you lying or telling the truth) which have no clear answer and so you might end up questioning your decision.

[Friendindeed]

Honesty is not always the best policy. No way.

[saggyjones]

:)

Just to be a reciprocal thorn in your side ...

No, I don't think white lies can be bad. The example you just gave is not a white lie.

Why not ?

Because of course I would tell someone if their shirt looked bad, especially if they asked me.
If I didn't, it could only be because I wanted to avoid an unpleasant reaction from them ...which makes it a weasel lie according to my model because I would be trying to keep myself out of trouble.

In the example I gave of a white lie, I was thinking not of clothing (which can be quickly changed) but rather of things a person can't help, like say a stone fell out of a woman's earring, or a guy had a chunk accidentally cut out in a haircut.

If this is unclear, bring it up to me later: my house is very noisy now and I find it hard to concentrate well in noise.

Well if someone got a bad haircut I believe they deserve my honest opinion about it, not a made up thing to make them feel better. Anyway, I said sometimes they can be bad, not all the time.

[saggyjones]

If politics are involved, then honesty isn't always the best policy, because sometimes you have to lie to achieve more important things.

[Friendindeed]

If politics are involved, then honesty isn't always the best policy, because sometimes you have to lie to achieve more important things.

Like what ?
I disagree. Politicians work for us and have no right to lie.

Also in the haircut example I don't think it is bad to tell them that the mssing chunk is not very noticeable. It is all subjective anyway how much anyone is going to notice so why not make them feel more confident.

[Eternal]

yes saggy, please elaborate or give some examples.

[HighVoltage123]

sometimes it's just necessary to tell a little noble lie

[kobzikov]

If we are talking about what is the right thing to do then that's telling the truth.

But that doesn't mean telling the truth is always the best policy. Is it the best policy to say that you can't stand Hitler or his wars if you lived in Berlin during his reign? Is it the best policy to tell the guards of a prison that beating up prisoners is wrong after you witnessed it and that you will speak up against it if you are one of the prisoners? These are extreme examples, but there are millions of them. A better question is what is the best policy? Is doing what's right the best policy? Is not hurting other's feelings the best policy? Is self-preservation the best policy? Depending on what you consider the most important to you your answer to the above question will be different.

[r0beph]

I agree with you on that.


Weasel lies such as "No I was NOT looking at that [person of the opposite sex]"
where you keep yourself from getting in trouble;


You're kids get in trouble for that?

[r0beph]

I personally don't like mistruth of any kind. White lies are lies nonetheless. How about learning to structure the truth so it informs yet does not hurt? Lying to them in many cases that appear white, harmless lies, can often result in more damage than the truth ever would have brought upon them. Boyfriend: Do I smell ok, I didn't get to shower today, I'm running late for work Girlfriend: Yeah you don't smell bad (white lie)....later that evening after work he goes to a meal with the boss to discuss a promotion....the boss is not impressed with his scent.

While that is pure hyperbole, it functions the same on lower levels, Learning to speak a conscientious truth is much fairer and a better choice than a possibly harmful [at a later time] white lie.

A short anecdotal bit here.

My girlfriend at one time had put on a few extra pounds, of course her self esteem was dipping questionably low, and she asked me if she was fat. Well she wasn't fat, a bit of extra weight, but nothing that effected the fact that she was beautiful. I told her quite truthfully No, she wasn't, I noticed she gained some weight, but it's not in the slightest unattractive, and if she wanted we could go jogging each day until she felt better about it. not a bit of hurt in her eyes, a smile and a kiss later I was running circles around my block with her. To me, the truth is much better than a shallow lie that only has a short term effect.

[OPGhostdog]

I do believe that being honest is a very good thing. Thereforth
when lying one might forget the lie that was told in the beginning,
and one would then have to lie in order to cover the other lie.
I am the kind of individual who is totally honest about anything I
say or do.

Where I came from during my days as a street warrior. What
happened for me to change my lifestyle and attitude, and the
many goals that I have accomplished today I do not have to
lie to NO ONE.

Sure...honesty is always the best policy, due to the fact that
all lies will get uncovered, and because of lies relationships,
jobs, human lifes has been destoryed.

[steveox]

I ask this question myself. Yes the Truth will hurt you in a bad way. Ever heard of an Honest Politican ever get Elected? NO!!! No Honest Politican has ever got elected EVEN GEORGE WASHINGTON LIED!! The Last honest politican was Ross H Perot. He told the american people like it is when he got elected.He said he was gonna put 50 cents tax on a gallon of gasolene. Boy arent we glad we didnt vote for this honest man?

[Chip]

My answer is no. There are cases in which you have ethical obligation to lie...
It is always wrong to lie, no matter what.

Except to save the life of another, doing the wrong thing always creates another wrong thing.

And the Jury is even out on that exclusion ... .

[steveox]

You gotta lie.Even on your job application LIE!! Cause if youre honest chances are youll never get the Job you want.

[TruthAboveAll]

Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy. That said, I think so much depends on how you are honest. Honesty doesn't cover just what you say, but the very way you live your life and is part of your personal integrity. But just about speaking truth, there is no need to be hurtful.

There can be situations where lying for a higher purpose (someone used an example with Hitler) can be the RIGHT thing to do. I think we could probably all agree there could be some situations we could imagine where lying could be right. But therein lies another danger - how extreme should a situation be to qualify as a higher purpose?

Honest is the best policy... but there are a few exceptions.

[steveox]

Bill Clinton was never honest. His bull****ting speeches is what got him a trip to the white house. Even the Democratic National Convention is full of bull**** no wonder they get a such of huge high ratings on TV!

[9sublime]

You gotta lie.Even on your job application LIE!! Cause if youre honest chances are youll never get the Job you want.

Just like dressing up as soldier to get a discount? The reason you don't get the job if you don't lie is not because lying is a neccesity, but because you are underqualified for the job.

[Chip]

When we lie, we nearly always do so to protect our own ego ... even when we say we are lying to protect another.

When we get what we "want" by lying, we nearly always put ourselves in a worse position than before, even when we lie on a job application, because what we end up getting thereby sidetracks us from the path of our true heart's destiny which is unfathomable by our mere mind ... and time ... is short ... ... .

[steveox]

Just like dressing up as soldier to get a discount? The reason you don't get the job if you don't lie is not because lying is a neccesity, but because you are underqualified for the job.

This is why we have Lazy Bums who go on WELFARE! Because of qualifcations for the job. Those Bums say BOO HOO If i cant get a $30,000 a Year Salary ill just apply for Welfare and let those taxpayers pay for my home,My Clothes and My Food.If you wanna work in a Steel Factory making Good Bucks you need an High School Education to get in there. So you lie about your education and youll get the job. Cause i dont see how Reading,Writing and Math benifits you doing this.
http://apps.carleton.edu/global_stock/photostock/105299_tn.jpghttp://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Newsweek/Photos/mag/Issues2004_Special/031126_IssuesEconomy_wide.hlarge.jpg
I Rather be doing that then be doing this
http://www.integrityweb.com/janitorial/janitor1.jpg

[9sublime]

So you are admitting you are a prime candidate for benefits if you didnt lie?