"Honesty is the best policy!" Or is it now?

 

We have all been told this since our early childhood, and I myself told my son that. Always tell the truth to the ones in charge, the parents in that case. 

   I guess it's a part of growing up is to learn when this is no longer the case. Maybe it starts with telling your aunt her cake is terrible, but you smile and say it's great but you can't have more as your already stuffed. Maybe it continues with telling your boss his idea is excellent and innovative (of course nobody did it before, it's stupid). Maybe somewhere in there is also an "I love you too!" although personally I'd avoid that. In the end, when is it ok to lie?

   Let's look back to why we tell our children to always tell the truth. Best answer I can come up with would be that they may underestimate the undesirable or dangerous effects of lying. Don't get me wrong, adults can totally do that too or fail to recognise the risk in what the kid says, but on average they should be better equipped to handle the truth. Furthermore, the child handing over the facts to the adult will absolve him of any blame on the bad decisions taken afterwards. 

    Ok, now that is out of the way, let's talk about adults, people with enough sense and responsibility for their own actions (they can vote, but alcohol and enlist in the military). When is it ok to lie? I'd say the thing to put into the balance is what you gain by lying and what you stand to loose of the truth is found out. 

   Let's get some examples for it:

Anon, do you like this new job we gave you? asks you boss. 

On one hand saying Yes Indo, it's great reinforces the confidence they have in their choice and in you. On the other, if they find out the truth, that's is a useless chore that could be automated in 5 hours or dispensed with with no  ill efects, you'd get in trouble for not adhering to management's opinion (even if they sometimes know the task is useless). Sure, telling the truth keeps your conscience clear and let's you sleep soundly at night, but in such a case it also keeps you from a promotion or a raise. For you to decide what's best out of the two, but since people prefer "little lies" to hara truths, is it your fault if you give them what they ask for instead of what they need?

  Of course, if you think running a rbmk 4000 nuclear reactor in an unsafe fashion may lead to problems during the turbine test, by all means speak out to any level of management necessary. 

    On the "I love you too" scenario I don't know what to tell you, maybe another post for that. 

In the mean time, may you be truthfully and sincerely loved, just like a Labrador does it!