Truth And Consequences
I see the acts of not lying or blaming others as a pretty significant, yet virtually effortless moral responsibility. After all, it takes so much more mental agility to create and sustain a believable lie, than it does to simply relate the truth.

So when I'm lied to or wrongly blamed for something, it really eats at me.

Not because I'm disillusioned that such a thing could happen, but because I'm finding myself in situations where honesty is actually a liability. The truth isn't elaborate or compelling enough. The truth makes me something less in the eyes of others than I somehow should be. The truth paints me as innocent, naive, out of synch with the way the world works, uninteresting, dull. The truth keeps me from getting ahead. The truth burdens me with responsibility for my mistakes. The truth can expose me as foolish, idealistic, frail, stupid, classless, human.

What about all the lip service paid by society to how virtuous honesty is to them and how much they value knowing honest people?

Maybe they're lying, too.

I've taken more than my share of lumps for being honest (or, at the least, not being quick with a lie; I'm not asserting perfection here) and I'm about to take some more. Meanwhile, from where I sit, the liars look comfortable with themselves, and in the world around them. 12:37:54 PM    comment []trackback []