This total honesty is the referred to as “radical honesty.” Those who dedicate themselves to radical honesty commit to removing all lies, both big and small, from their interactions with others. These people would be placed near the extreme “always tell the truth” end of the spectrum. Think of the spectrum as “absolute honesty” at the left end and “absolute dishonesty” at the right end, something like this:Ībsolute Honesty Absolute Dishonesty Radical HonestyĪlthough most people agree that honesty is at least somewhat important, there is a group that places a great deal of importance on being honest-not just mostly honest, but completely honest at all times and in all interactions-with one important exception (Jacobs, 2007). To give you an idea of the spectrum across which these theories fall, three will be presented: one at or near each end of the spectrum, and one that lies somewhere in the middle. These theories pose and answer questions like:Īs with any other complex and significant topic, people have come up with a wide variety of responses to these questions, some of which are diametrically opposed to others. Since it’s difficult to reach unanimous agreement on the very definition of honesty, it should come as no surprise that there are many theories and philosophies on honesty.
Honest is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into a failure. Being honest with others is essential for creating and maintaining healthy relationships, and being honest with yourself is vital for personal development and growth, as well as self-acceptance and self-esteem (Durham, 2017).
However you conceptualize honesty, you likely agree that at least some level of honesty is an important trait to cultivate. Honesty can be understood as an act (e.g., speaking the truth, refusing to lie), a trait (e.g., authenticity), and a disposition (e.g., tendency or habit to be forthcoming with relevant truths), among other things. To others still, the definition of honesty may be “ never faking reality in order to gain a value” (Biddle, 2013). To others, honesty may be “ speaking the truth and abiding by the rules” (Borghini, 207). To some, honesty may be defined by its synonyms, such as fairness, straightforwardness, sincerity, integrity, or trustworthiness (“Honesty”, 2016). There is a general understanding of what honesty is in society, but there’s plenty of room to dive into what really constitutes honesty. The answer you get to this question will depend on who you ask. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving. 3 Honesty Worksheets (PDF) for Children & Teens.5 Honesty Activities for Children & Teens.Teaching Honesty & Integrity: Examples, Stories, Quotes & Songs.These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients realize your unique potential and create a life that feels energized and authentic. Hopefully, this information will help you figure out where you stand on this interesting subject, and what kind of honesty you would like to strive for!īefore you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Strengths Exercises for free. It can be tough to navigate between all of these contrasting ideas about honesty.įor this piece, we delved into the theories and philosophies behind honesty and gathered some of the best resources for teaching and encouraging this character trait. Some say that lying is fine if it protects an innocent person, while others believe there is never a good reason to lie. Some people endorse little white lies, while others condemn them. lying, and how honest one should really be in practice. So, is honesty always the best policy? When would it not be the best policy? These are questions many people have asked over countless years.Īs such, there are a lot of different ideas about what honesty is, the morality of honesty vs. Now, the “wrong thing” referred to in this quote may sometimes be a lie, but the wise Franklin also knew that telling the truth with no filter is a practice that is sure to end in pain-for you, for another, or for all those involved! “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” Benjamin Franklin seems to think so, but he also said this:
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