Honesty vs Cruelty

[Featherdemon]

Here is a question for you all:

Does the pursuit of honesty and truth give permission or make allowance for cruelty?

 

[TKLVR181]

Depends on how severe the cruelty and how deceptive the falsehood would be. "Oh honey, you don't look fat!" to a pregnant woman is the prudent and nice thing to say😛

At the same time, some things have to be said. It's hard for me to tell someone when they've hurt my feelings, especially when I know they didn't mean to, but I know they'd want me to, even if they feel badly for it after---I tell them to preserve our relationship, and THAT is important.

~K

 

[Senshi1]

Yeah it depends. For the most part, truth is important. But sometimes it's a grey area - REALLY grey.

For example, a crowded airport recieves a bomb threat. Do you let the people walk around unaware that they could be risking their lives, or do you tell them and risk causing a stampede?

Really depends on the circumstances and probably on the person making the decision.

 

[FeatherDaemon1]

This quandary recently came up in Massachusetts during the banking crisis. Last week when it seemed like the world was falling apart the State Treasurer pulled 300 Million Dollars out of Sovereign Bank because the stock was tanking. Now the question is does the Treasurer inform the public as a matter of public disclosure more than likely causing a run on the bank or does the Treasurer keep it quiet doing what is best for the State while telling the citizens not to do what he just did. [He kept his move secret, it only came out in the last few days in the paper.]

It's all a grey area, sometimes discretion is the best action. Acting according to total truth does not always serve the greater good.

 

[Duke Diablo]

Toss the coin! Toss the coin!

 

[Bashiku]

Toss the coin! Toss the coin!

I prefer my yes or no dice...

 

[melanie2]

Here is a question for you all:

Does the pursuit of honesty and truth give permission or make allowance for cruelty?

in a nutshell...no...nothing gives permission for cruelty in my book...

 

[Journia]

Honesty does not give alowance to crelty. If honesty is to be obtained, you can't have people with cruelty spewing out their mouths like water off of waterfalls, going around inhibiting others from being honest by causing them emotional pain. It doesn't work very well.

What should be done is, form an opinion and then speak your opinion in a more comforting way. For example, "You're not shit for this job, you're fired!" could be more comforting. "I'm sorry, you simply aren't working up to par, you have to either put more effort into your work, or you will be laid off." I think that the main reason that people tend to be cruel when being honest is laziness. Laziness to use more words to add morale instead of just the quickest words that come to mind. Or undervocacbularial abilities.