-Article - Honesty

Those who rely on their honesty should also be concerned with this principle: The effectiveness of honesty depends on the will of a person to face the truth, which may conflict with the desires of that person and cause denial.

In such a case, how can we promote this willingness, despite this conflict? The answer to this question might be useful to anyone who seeks to be honest with people effectively in denial. Ultimately, it could benefit those people whose refusal is contrary to their interests. I start from the assumption that truth, or the conformity of thought to reality, is the sine qua non of effectiveness vital. Health, fun, successful careers, and harmonious relationships require that we know the needs and capacities of our nature and workings of the world. The absence of this knowledge leads to accidents, illness, suffering, failure and death. Therefore, the first object of our desires must be the truth, or knowledge of ourselves and the world around us. So why are people often reluctant to face them?

I think there are two reasons for this reluctance. Firstly, the desire to know the truth, which is rooted in the desire to live happy, degenerates spontaneously in a desire to be right, to avoid the insecurity and shame associated with error and ignorance and also to avoid the effort to learn. Thus, fear, pride and indolence are obstacles to the pursuit of truth and happiness. People will not admit they were wrong when they are, unless they have the courage and humility. Anyone who takes their heart in the right should help to develop these virtues.

Secondly, the truth may be known to experience a happy way of life. The desire to know the truth and then turns into a desire to see the ultimate truth. The mental inertia becomes law, proportional to the force of attraction exerted on the spirit of this happy way of life. Any disruption that breaks the status quo is refused: "I can not believe that this can happen." The reality is regarded as unreal as it corresponds more to the truth you want. Denial can be regarded as a process deviant acts is consistent with the ideas, rather the contrary. The reason is overthrown and emotions reign, which is trying to prove actual harm to avoid the loss of a happy way of life and pursuit of another, this loss and this lawsuit is associated with pain, strain, and doubt, even despair.

To help a person to recognize an unwanted truth about radical changes in reality, we must in honesty couple with the wisdom of that person aware of the human capacity for adaptation. This ability is well illustrated by the example of people who have suffered a terrible misfortune, and gradually discovered a new vision and a new happiness, more enlightened and more satisfying than the old. In addition, it must stimulate the desire of the person who is left with a formidable challenge: to start his or her entire life. Finally, this awareness and this will improve in time weaken in May, inviting building. Overall, against a refusal to face the truth, the effectiveness of honesty is always difficult and uncertain.