HONESTY 29

Honesty is the best policy. Or is it? Let’s examine that concept in some of its myriad aspects from a practical standpoint and try to avoid, as much as possible, moral strictures.

A few of the world’s, or at least Western World’s, deepest thinkers and writers have something to say on the subject: (1)“Confidence in others’ honesty is no light testimony of one’s own integrity.” Montaigne: Essays I.xl; (2)“Take note, take note, O world, To be direct and honest is not safe.” Shakespeare: Othello III.iii; (3)“Honesty is the best policy.” Cervantes: Don Quixote II.xxxiii; (4)“He that resolves to deal with none but honest Men, must leave off dealing.” Thomas Fuller: Gnomologia; (5)“An honest man’s the noblest work of God.” Alexander Pope: An Essay on Man IV; (6)“Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance.” Shakespeare: The Winter’s Tale IV.iii; (7)“No legacy is so rich as honesty.” Shakespeare: All’s Well that Ends Well III.v; (8)“Every man has his fault, and honesty is his.” Shakespeare: Timon of Athens III.i; (9)“The honest man though e’er so poor, Is king of o’ men for a’ that.” Robert Burns: For a’ That and a’ That; (10)”Clear and round dealing is the honor of a man’s nature, and that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work the better, but it debases it.” Francis Bacon: Of Truth.

Those are decidedly a mixed lot of opinions. No help there in trying to decide whether honesty is helpful or a hindrance.

It may be more useful to try to come at the question from a different direction. It once was that most parents taught their children to be honest and when the little tykes fibbed they were lectured to and disciplined. To be fair some parents still do, although my memory and perception is that it is now a ”custom more honored in the breach than in the observance.” That of course begs the question (begging the question means to assume as fact what is under dispute) whether honesty is a beneficial practice to be pursued.

There is honesty and then there is honesty, e.g. there are lies and little ‘white’ lies (interesting isn’t it, as has been commented upon many times, that ‘white’ is good and ‘black’ is bad as when the good guy wears the white hat and another, a dangerous and menacing fellow, wears the black hat). My personal take on ‘white’ lies is that I would not be so gauche as to tell a woman her suit was ugly unless she asked me for my opinion, then I would be as truthful as reasonably proper manners would dictate. Likewise if a man asked me if I liked his dress I would simply tell him it was not my style.

The animal kingdom of course is replete with examples of deception, i.e. dishonesty. Even plants get in on the act. Venus’s-Flytrap, Dionaea muscipula, deceptively presents the chance for a meal to a roving insect, but it is the innocent insect which ends up as the meal. It makes me believe there are plants which will not make it to plant heaven. Would you want to share paradise with such a diabolical character as the aforementioned insect eater?

An African monkey, the Vervet, gave gratuitous leopard alarms when challenged by a rival male, causing the other male to flee up a tree and a chimpanzee was observed using his fingers to readjust his mouth in order to hide a grin before turning to bluff a rival.

The common Mockingbird, Mimus, M. polyglottos, (which means many-tongued mimic) mimics the songs of many other birds and one would think for reasons other than its own amusement. The Brown-Headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater, lays eggs in other bird’s nests thereby shirking the responsibility of raising its own chicks.

A natural question is do we or should we, Homo sapiens, consider ourselves morally superior to plants and animals and therefore strive to be as honest as humanly possible?

What are the practical aspects of dishonesty? Nobody believes anything you say. You are not trusted in any business dealing or social situation. And as a general principle you are held in disrepute and obloquy. The positives? You might, to your gain, get away with it, at least for a while.

The main advantage for honesty can be summed up with the word, “credibility.” Reputation for honesty is of no small moment. The deserved appellation of “Honest Abe” served to enhance the image of and respect given to Lincoln. If former President Bill Clinton were to be described as honest most people would interpret it to be meant ironically. An exception is Dan Rather who, in an interview, answered a question by stating that he thought Clinton was an “honest man.” This could occur only in ‘Dan’s World’ where reality was not always recognized.

It is interesting to speculate that if some prominent political leader were to resolve not only to always tell the truth, but also to be candid and complete in answering questions and stating positions what would be the net result for their standing and effectiveness among political peers and the public? They could refuse to answer certain questions for a variety of legitimate reasons, yet never lie or mislead when responding. My sense is that the disadvantages of having to admit fault or error would be more than offset by the earned credibility and believability when, as often occurs, there is doubt as to the truth of situations and claims. My recommendation is, what the heck, give it a try.