Honesty on a tightrope

"What a stupid world"

—      Calvin and Hobbes (March 16, 1987)

Calvin was probably right. We now live in a time where people still believe that the world is flat and that vaccines are a hoax.

No matter how much it irks you, you cannot dismiss the other person's reality or their unshakeable faith on it. They speak honestly (well, according to their own views), with logic, and yet, sound so absurd. Their truth is so beyond our comprehension that it is not even legit humour.

If you are one who is okay with being completely idealistic, you probably are a level-headed and straightforward individual. In situations where things are a mess, you acknowledge that things are not going your way. But if you are being insensitive, you end up being a miserable douche like Dr House.

Being brutally honest does have its benefits. People tend to rely on your word and your opinion. It gives you a boost of confidence because you are never really concerned about inconsequential factors and tend to speak your mind. You basically are what Donald Trump is to Republicans.

On the other side of the coin, there is such a thing as too much honesty. These days, being straightforward can get you into a lot of trouble. People might mistake that honesty for rudeness. Everyone would probably think you are stubborn. Consequently, you will be left with fewer friends and end up spending your time making and sharing somewhat funny memes.

It's only natural for you, as a forthright individual, to expect the same from everyone else. It becomes difficult to digest that not everyone can give you their honest opinion or that one might even tell you only what you need to hear, even if it is a lie.

Generations after generations, honesty has been glorified. But times have changed, and now, we face ethical dilemmas. You need to lie and give compliments to make yourself appear less heartless. Not everyone can handle the bitter truth. It makes you wonder how a generation who grew up watching South Park and Family Guy ended up being so sensitive.

Face it, honesty is not all rainbows and unicorns. Imagine telling your sister that her makeup looks ridiculous after she has spent hours getting dressed. Would you remain unharmed? Just tell her she looks amazing and save yourself. 

Having such a candid and frank nature, you are a serious threat to yourself and a liability when it comes to planning surprise parties, keeping secrets and covering for your friends. You could easily lie your way out of a situation, but you had to be honest and now you are grounded for an entire month with no friends.

You are also home alone on the weekends, relating to Dr House because you are a buzzkill. In other words, your honesty can sometimes be the stupidest trait. What a stupid world, where we have to balance honesty and stupidity on a tightrope. Sometimes, it is easier to tell a white lie and save yourself from the embarrassment and trouble.

Photo: Collected