Is honesty the best policy?

LouBelle

I ask because many a time being honest and telling the truth, even with tact is not met well - in my experience.

In the last couple of days I went for an interview with a company and when asked what my current package was I was honest and told the truth. They came back with the exact same offer - I then asked if we could negotiate considering my experience blah blah blah - they didn't both to respond and after three emails and asking for some sort of curtesy reply, I got a very offish response.

A collegue I work with went for the same interview, lied about what she earns and they offered her a higher salary and were happy to negotiate even higher.

Now this may come down to just to small details like they want my collegue to work for them and not me - which is fine.

Second example - at my current work - I have been honest in all my dealings, when I sell to clients, the figures I put down. When it comes to paying out my commission the managers have found fault in order to pay less. When I pull out the written down facts and am open and honest about it - again it's not well met, it's met with ""put in a grievience and follow that process, see if you like it""

Thirdly - All the back biters and ass creepers get all the leads from managers. They don't make calls and don't canvass and yet will end up with more adverts / sales than those that do make the effort.

So is being honest....truly....the best policy.

mynameislame

Somtimes I wonder if the JWs weren't on to something with their "it isn't lying if the person is not owed the truth". I'm sure I paraprhased that statement a bit.

I personally tend to be too honest.

Pointy haired boss: Hey so how do you like our shiny new product that we are banking on for making our numbers in the next quarter?

Me: It sucks!

I don't see a problem with creative truth telling. In my opinion a company has no right asking you how much you got paid at your last job so I wouln't have any problems adding in my 401k match, vacation time and rounding to make it look a little better.

Also, although i'm not very good at this, it is possible to answer without actualy answering. Lots of ideas for that on the internet.

In the end you need to live with yourself so I say test the waters to see where your boundries are.

Bugbear

If you are or have been a JW, don´t tell your supposed employer that. They will never consider you for any job, that is my experience.

But truth could be expressed in different ways. Dont call a person "a layer", he/she will never listen to what you have to say. Tell him insted that mayby your are a little bit uninformed about these matters.

Bugbear

KateWild

For me honesty is the only way. Liars and cheaters, and brown nosers get on in life but I couldn't pull off lying, I would trip over myself and end up in more trouble.

But honesty doesn't always work out for us, many honest people get taken advantage of. I would rather have integrity and live as I do than be better off and know I am a liar and a hypocrite.

That's me though, I am a victim of my ex's vicious lies, and he is a JW in good standing. He lied to the court and now I can't see my 12 yr old son again. Being a victim of lies makes me personally not want to lie to anyone because I hate being lied to and lied about.

But that's just me

Kate xx

ABibleStudent

There is honesty and then there is total disclosure. IMHO it is dishonest to hide facts from or lie about facts to someone when there are adverse conseguences to a person.

As far as a job interview, you can tell a prospective employer what your exact salary is or you can say that your total compensation is more, which it usually is. For instance if your salary is $37.51/hr, you could tell a prospective employer that your salary is about $40/hr or that your total compsensation is more than $40/hr which it is when including employer paid social security tax and any other compensation such as paid vacations. Another thing that you could tell a prospective employer is what salary you want, like I'm want a minimum salary of $40/hr. Is it lying not to answer the question which was asked?

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

scotoma

Honesty is the best POLICY. It's the best guiding principle when you need a habitual reaction.

However honesty is not necessarily the best STRATEGY. Sometimes there are larger issues - such as life and death - financial ruin - career goals etc.

If you run a company at what point do you let your suppliers know the depth of your financial woes and the possibility of bankruptcy that will leave them without full payment? Unfortunately you have to play people.

That's why human brains are so big. Social interaction in a clan of about 120 people requires some lying.

The bible is full of divine deceptions.

Why would Jehovah make Moses feel he was actually influenced by his intercession on behalf of Israel.

Why would Jehovah act like he needed to promise he would never kill every living thing again?

Why would Jehovah let his people believe that he really liked the smell of fat and entrails being grilled on the altar?

When the Bible promises everlasting life (on earth or in heaven), based on Jehovah's tendency to deceive, how do you know this isn't a manipulative trick to get you to cooperate.

Not that I believe any of that. But it shows lying is an essential option in surviving in a community?

WTWizard

Generally, telling the truth is best unless someone who is not entitled to it is going to use it against you or innocent people. In a job interview, being accurate means not getting unrealistic hopes. You lie, and get the job--and expectations are set according to the lies you told. Sooner or later, you are not going to meet those expectations. Tell the truth, and expectations are set according to the truth and you have a better chance of holding the job.

There is, however, one exception. I will illustrate with an experience I had when I bought an air conditioner from a witless. I paid 100 toilet papers for it--the quality was roughly equivalent to one that cost that when new. Aside that ripoff, I found 200 toilet papers in the instruction envelope--4 crisp new 50's. I honestly reported it to the former owner--the witless that dragged me into the cancer. Well, that thing had me simply throw it all away. One bill for each of the contribution boxes for the Worldwide Damnation fund! Had I kept it, I could have found better uses for the funds--that showed me the IQ of the idiot that dragged me into the cancer, since that thing was rather poor as it was.

Thus, sometimes you can get burned if you honestly report found property within the jokehovians. I regretted that more than anything--it would have been one thing had the dingbat kept and spent the money. At least that way, he would have used it for fun or to catch up on bills. But no, I had to throw it away into the Worldwide Damnation Fund. What a waste.

Giordano

LouBelle A lie is best told with some truth at it's core...... something plausible. Think the WTBTS and every other religion as well as every business tells mis truths.

However In my personal relationships wife, friends etc. I don't lie..... I do obfuscate to be polite as when my wife asks me if her dress makes her butt look too big. The lie might be hidden in the fact that "sideway stripes....... my dear, distort ones figure and make it seem that one's butt looks larger then it is."

OBFUSCATE to obscure, confuse, make unclear, blur, muddle, complicate, overcomplicate, muddy, cloud, befog note that it doesn't say lie.

Is honesty the best policy?

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