Is Honesty Always The Best Policy?

If someone flat-out asks me my opinion, and I know they can handle the truth, then I will tell them that those jeans aren't the best fit for them...not that they make her butt look big. (Redirection isn't necessarily bad.)

One always has to ask oneself if there is anything to be gained by telling the truth. I would never tell anyone that someone else said something bad about them personally in the office...or that could be taken as such. What purpose would that serve other than to hurt someone's feelings and/or make them angry? It only serves to create tension and disrupt the office environment. (Lying by omission isn't necessarily bad.)

Sometimes lying is an necessity: say you're surrounded by people who support some kind of figurehead: you're not going to admit you disagree with the crowd, are you? You'd pretend to also support the figurehead. Plus, sometimes you have to swallow your pride and act as if you agree: at least until you can get away.

Deception is vital sometimes.

The Dutch are often called rude. Thats not true, what they are is often brutally honest.

Ask a Dutch person does my bum look big in this and you wont just get a yes or no, you will get a 'OMG...you should have a wide load warning' or equally a 'are you mad? I would give my arm to look like you'

They often offer advice without warning, Ive seen someone come out of a dressing room and a passing stranger just said 'No, dont do it its awful' and walked on!

I bought a car my neighbour came out and said 'I dont like it , the colour is awful' ( it was green).

Tact, diplomacy, white lies, call it what you will I think it skipped The Netherlands...

You get used to it. Im not really one for askng for opinions anyway.  But I havent entirely got the hang of dishing it out... English upbringing to blame there !

A favourite singer, and a favourite song, with something to say on the subject....

www.youtube.com/results?search_query=paloma+do+you+want+the+truth+or+something+beautiful+lyrics

I go by honesty whenever possible, and I personally think it's possible almost all the time, but we don't often work hard enough to find tact or a misdirection.

My mind goes to a hypothetical scenario where the "bad guy" shouldn't be told where their intended victim is - something like that where the truth would actually be harmful if you told it. I would tend to believe that in such a situation, a story made up to save the "good guy" is merciful and fights against the "bad guy."

Other than that kind of scenario, let's be smarter and not lie to people, I say. We can lose their trust when we don't go with truth.

Maybe our questions need to change a little, so it's easy for the person answering to be polite along with truthful. "I feel sweaty" or "I might need a deodorant refreshing!" might be better than a direct question of whether we smell. And never asking if we look fat in an outfit, just if it suits us... That doesn't excuse blunt answers that are hurtful, of course!

Maybe it would help for everyone to be dealing out grace and truth at the same time... Takes practice, though!

I can usually take the truth. That doesn't mean it can't hurt though.

Again, I know someone who believes in always telling the truth: she told my bestie she was fat. This was just telling the truth to the person: but my bestie didn't see it like that. My bestie didn't even ask for an opinion. This person can really lay it on thick. I don't hate or dislike the person: in fact, I get on very well with her and chat with her on the phone regularly. Still, she can be brutal with the truth.

Good or bad, unsolicited advice and/or opinion is rude.

Have to disagree. Good unsolicited opinions can really make people's day. I have a friend that does that. It's nice hanging with her, as after she has cheered me up, she starts on strangers. It is nice to see them suddenly smile. 

It always depends on context...