Honesty is the Best Policy Essay: The Value of Truthfulness

Every human being must learn to be honest. Honesty means truth. If a person wants to be honest, he must learn to speak the truth in life. Moreover, by being honest, a person will develop a strong moral character, learn good behavior, maintain discipline, follow the rules and regulations intelligently, and will always be punctual. 

Every child must have learned the phrase ‘honesty is the best policy.’ Children learn honesty from their parents, elders, and teachers. Still, people prefer to tell lies for their benefit Since the incidence of deceitful behavior is on a high, the revival of the teachings of honesty is necessary.

Benefits of Honesty

There are several benefits of honesty. Honesty helps in the development of morally strong characters. If you are honest, you will not be afraid of anything. You do not have to think about making false stories and then the fear of repeating the same in exact words. If you are honest, you do not have to remember any false stories. People will trust you more. An honest person will also develop discipline. An honest person will be extremely content, know what to do from time to time, and will not take any pressure or tension about anything. The health will improve, and the mind will be at peace. The person will be very punctual and will complete all tasks on time. Since more people will trust an honest person, he or she will find more friends and will be supported all around. An honest person will not be involved in cheating, lying, lack of trust, greed, stealing, and any other immoral acts. 

Honesty promotes authenticity. It is a reflection of the thoughts and feelings of a person. It is a form of self-expression, and if a person is honest, people will know what he or she truly is. It also makes the person confident. To speak the truth, it needs a lot of courage and confidence. Only a coward will tell lies because he or she is afraid of the truth. Speaking the truth is an act of bravery. Telling lies also shows that the person is low on self-confidence.

Honesty brings maturity. An honest person speaks the truth in a mature, non-hurtful manner. Therefore, the person does not hurt others, and therefore, his or her relationship with others remains good. Such a good relationship develops a connection between people. Such good relationships also give you peace of mind. Therefore honesty brings high-quality and trustworthy friendships to a person.

Honesty makes a person feel free. They do not have to keep any secrets. They know what is right, and will speak it naturally. They do not have to take the tension of making a false story and say it, in the same manner, every time. Honesty keeps troubles away from a person.

How to Prevent Oneself from Lying?

People generally lie to avoid getting into trouble and to prevent hurting others. Honest people always have faith in the people whom they are talking to. It is wrong to assume that the listener will reject the truth. To be honest, people must have the courage to say the truth. No one likes to be lied to, and therefore, it is wrong to lie to others. People also have to be diplomatic in their presentation of the truth. They must not be blunt or rude, as it might hurt others. In this way, the true message reaches the listeners, and they take it in without getting emotionally hurt.

Is it okay to be Dishonest at Times

You were undoubtedly trained never to lie by your parents, who preached the importance of telling the truth. Your partner states that the most important thing is, to be honest.

But, according to studies, people do a lot of things wrong when it comes to deceit, truth-telling, and trust, and that, if mastered, lying the right way may actually help develop relationships, trust, and businesses. 

You are also more likely to be lied to (and told to lie) than you realize imagine your mother telling you to tell your grandmother how much you enjoyed her food, or you providing incomplete feedback to a coworker.

LYING CAN BE JUSTIFIED IN THE FOLLOWING SCENARIOS

If you are Looking out for Someone's Best Interests: 

There are many examples of lying being harmful, and the most harmful lies are those that promote your self-interest at the expense of others.

According to a study, "prosocial" lies—falsehoods intended to benefit others—can help people create trust.

Just keep in mind that lies are most effective when they are not self-serving. It is one thing to tell your friend he or she looks beautiful before a date to boost their self-esteem. However, be warned, saying it solely to push your friend out of the door because you are already late - that might drive you into a selfish zone.

If There is Not Enough Time to Make a Modification: 

Let's say your mate inquires about how you think he or she looks shortly before coming on stage for a speaking engagement, or just before reaching the podium, about what you think of the speech. Consider whether the person has the time to react to the information and control the issue, even if you see a stain on his or her dress or think the speech may be improved.

You might accept deception if there is nothing your partner can do to improve or change things right now. As there is nothing he or she can do at the time, lying in this sense is typically comprehended as something which is benefiting the person at the receiving end.

If your significant other can react to the knowledge, however, honesty is the superior option.

If the Person is Not Close to you: 

Deception that is mild and well-intentioned can be even more effective in long-distance relationships. Honesty is a lot more perilous in more competitive equations or first interactions, and it can damage relationships and reduce the amount of trust. That is because neither party knows the other's genuine motives, and they may ask aloud, "Is this individual trying to undermine me?"

Still, if you're inclined to provide candid comments to a distant acquaintance or a buddy of a friend, go ahead. Providing the truth while being benevolent—something along the lines of, "I truly want you to succeed, so I am giving you this feedback."

Close friendships, on the other hand, can foster a greater appreciation for candor, and confessing to friends is probably not as horrible as you think. We consistently underestimate how difficult it will be, to tell the truth.