Topic 5: Bearing False Witness
I had to think about this one. I'm aware that it's the ninth commandment. Not that I'm big on those to begin with. But I always go toward the legal connotations of "bearing false witness" first. And I don't have any experience with that. The justice system and I are not acquainted, and I'm really okay with that. But when it comes down to it...we're just talking about lying. Plain and simple.
Then I had to think even further. Trying to remember the last time I lied. And I...can't.
I used to lie all the time. About really stupid things. Of course, that was in high school. I think most people lie in high school. I'd lie about things I said to people, things people said to me... Usually to make myself look better. Why else do we lie, really? To protect people? Please. It's a rare and purely benevolent human being that does that, and I'm not sure precisely how many of those exist on this planet.
I'm honest. Almost to a fault these days. As I've gotten older, my mouth has gotten bigger. Probably too big, but that's a different topic entirely. Regardless... I'm not afraid to be honest with people. Just ask my boss. She got quite a bit of unfiltered honesty the other day, and I don't think she appreciated it. I'm just not the type of person to sugar-coat anything. In fact, I'm not entirely sure I know how to anymore. Can I be diplomatic and word my honesty so that it's...less blunt? Yeah, I've got that down. But I'm not going to spare anyone. And I'm not going to play the "compliment sandwich" game, either. If it's bad, it's bad. You still need to know it.
I don't think anyone learns anything from being lied to. Well, unless you're one of those people who claims they don't care what people think of them. In which case, you're a freak and you don't count. But I think it's beneficial for us to know how people perceive us. We can do whatever we want with the information, but it's important that it's out there. And likewise, I don't feel there's any sense in tap-dancing around the reality of what's happening around us. People call it "protection," but it's more like...delusion to me. That's why I always encourage people to be honest with me. That's why it drives me nuts when I sense people are holding back.
I don't know. There isn't much earth-shattering going on in this entry. I guess I just don't..."get" lying. Manipulating the truth, sure. Omission of things that aren't relevant, absolutely. But outright lying? Not so much.
Then I had to think even further. Trying to remember the last time I lied. And I...can't.
I used to lie all the time. About really stupid things. Of course, that was in high school. I think most people lie in high school. I'd lie about things I said to people, things people said to me... Usually to make myself look better. Why else do we lie, really? To protect people? Please. It's a rare and purely benevolent human being that does that, and I'm not sure precisely how many of those exist on this planet.
I'm honest. Almost to a fault these days. As I've gotten older, my mouth has gotten bigger. Probably too big, but that's a different topic entirely. Regardless... I'm not afraid to be honest with people. Just ask my boss. She got quite a bit of unfiltered honesty the other day, and I don't think she appreciated it. I'm just not the type of person to sugar-coat anything. In fact, I'm not entirely sure I know how to anymore. Can I be diplomatic and word my honesty so that it's...less blunt? Yeah, I've got that down. But I'm not going to spare anyone. And I'm not going to play the "compliment sandwich" game, either. If it's bad, it's bad. You still need to know it.
I don't think anyone learns anything from being lied to. Well, unless you're one of those people who claims they don't care what people think of them. In which case, you're a freak and you don't count. But I think it's beneficial for us to know how people perceive us. We can do whatever we want with the information, but it's important that it's out there. And likewise, I don't feel there's any sense in tap-dancing around the reality of what's happening around us. People call it "protection," but it's more like...delusion to me. That's why I always encourage people to be honest with me. That's why it drives me nuts when I sense people are holding back.
I don't know. There isn't much earth-shattering going on in this entry. I guess I just don't..."get" lying. Manipulating the truth, sure. Omission of things that aren't relevant, absolutely. But outright lying? Not so much.