Or if your honest you are just easy pray and easily predictable! Deceit being a tactic of survival to intentional keep people confused!
2006-07-25 03:50:43 · 8 answers · asked by bulabate 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
American history has never been about honesty. Never.
The quote of "honesty is the the best policy" is a quote from Mark Twain, and I think you forgot the rest of the quote: "...when there is money in it."
The idea of honesty as a national policy is a fallacy. While a democratic society functions best when the structures and machinations of the government are perceived to be transparent, sometimes democracy in and of itself do not pay the bills, or ensure the longevity of the republic.
Since the Machiavellian viewis that everyone lies, I think it has to be a conscious choice to be honest, despite the possible consequences. And while the honest do have a rougher time of it, they tend to sleep better at night, and their karma is all good.
The good one does comes back to them threefold. The selfish things that one does never stops revisiting.
2006-07-25 04:01:46 · answer #1 · answered by arcayne_1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Deceit only works in a fundamentally honest society. This is well-demonstrated game theory and sociological phenomenon. In a society of liars, everyone expects lies. If everyone expects lies, then nobody will believe any statement, thust defeating any and all lies. Deceit is not "the dominate way of life" (the correct word is "dominant"). If it were, it would always fail, since nobody would be fooled. The majority of people are honest the majority of the time. This is why lies work. A minority of people are dishonest most of the time. They take advantage of the honesty that is the dominant way of life in America. Their lies work because they are believed; they are believed because most people expect truth; most people expect truth because most people are honest.
2006-07-25 10:56:21 · answer #2 · answered by Hoosier Daddy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on the way you look at things. Two people look at a rose bush in full bloom. One person sees beautiful flowers, the other person sees nothing but ugly thorns.
In all countries and at all times, there have been those who grab up all that they could, that's not a policy. It's personel greed.
With all it's faults, America is number one in the world. Whatever faults you will find here, you'll find them and many more wherever you go .
2006-07-25 11:03:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When they attacked Canada, their honest, "easy" prey, in 1812. Well, i guess we know what happened after that... deceit will always screw up the deceiver.
2006-07-25 10:56:24 · answer #4 · answered by peakfreak 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Right after Thomas Jefferson took office. Then it was power corrupts absolutely. It was all down hill from there.
2006-07-25 10:53:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Where have you been living? Please stay under that rock for
our sakes ! It would look to me that your "liberal" college
taught you nothing about history, values and conscience.
I am sure one day, we will be reading about your indictment for
fraud or something similar. Look how far the Enron staff fell!
2006-07-25 11:12:52 · answer #6 · answered by babo02350 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probably the last 50 years. they call it diplomacy now. it is a good idea to keep secrets form your enemies, though.
2006-07-25 10:52:52 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the indians should have killed every thing that crawled up the beach. then there would be no problem period!
2006-07-25 10:58:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋