Is honesty in the list of endangered species?

Question

They say, 'Honesty is the best policy.' Sadly, it seems to be but a policy that hardly, if ever, gets implemented! Everywhere you look in the society, dishonesty seems to be ruling the roost. The cutthroat attitude of people is willing to sacrifice honesty in the altar of monetary gains. So, is honesty really heading the dinosaur's way?

Answer 1

No.

It must be learned. What you are referring to are people attempting to learn the value of honesty.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 2

I don't think so, in the most broad conceptual context. Honesty, as a concept, has an ambiguous definition, both morally and philosophically. Is it "honest", when a woman asks if this "outfit makes me look fat?", to tell her, "No."

The implications of telling her the truth (if it doesn't make her look any thinner) could be catastrophic, especially if you're married to her. If the full "truth" could be harmful to OTHERS in a situation, the best tact and diplomacy would be best. If, however, you would be lying to cover up your own indiscretions or importunities, I think that would be sinful.

Monetary gain? For the love of money is the root of all evil--lying, especially if it hurts someone, is evil. Is that going on? Yes. Is it right? No.

I think most people are trained to be honest, and that it will continue to be taught to the young. We tread a very fine line of honesty/dishonesty in our day-to-day dealings, but I think that we'll make it.

Answer 3

There's an old saying in journalism: "Dog Bites Man" is not news, but "Man Bites Dog" is. This means essentially, that we hear about all the corruption and dishonesty in the world to the exclusion of most of the decent, honest acts people perform. So many people have objected to this, that the news media have begun adding segments about good things people do.

Just look at this site. Most of the Answerers here are decent, honest people seeking information. The few who try to cheat are always, without exception, told off by the rest of us. Honesty is not dying and it never will, as long as we continue to voice our support for it and our disgust at the liars and cheaters of the world.

Answer 4

Society is the very enemy of honesty. We are forced to lie each day to those whom we love, and to those we hate, alike. However, the proponants of society refer to this lying as politeness, which is expected of all members. We are to not speak negatively to those for whom we foster negative feelings, we are rather encouraged to find positive points to refer to, or to just say to them nothing. For those we befriend and love, we fear upsetting or angering, and to avoid this we often lie to them, we fear most of all that our unhindered honesty with those we care for will cause them to no longer trust us or to no longer find common friendship. These dishonesties, while propagated with good intentions, cause our society and each person to be shrouded in layers of deceit, making it impossible to truly know anyone and it isn't until you reach a point where you need a person's help do you actually learn whether it is there, or whether it has only been falsely supposed by his politeness. These lies are the stem of corruption and fear, the roots of which burry deep within the very groundwork of society and government. Honesty is not become extinct, but rather, it never existed and it was only an idea created for the comfort of us to further shield our eyes from the fog covering what may or may not actually be there.

Answer 5

It has always existed in a dual sense. There have always been liars, cheats and cut throat individuals. That won't change. There have always been honest people who do not always come out on top. There integrity means more to them than the almighty dollar. There are more people in the world now, and due to technology we are exposed to more going on. Times change, fads change; basic human behavior is what it has been through the years. Consider some people are not even honest with themselves. People want the sensationalism and this gets their curiosity stirred up, nosy sorta. Some are always going to gossip. Controversy turns the wheel through out the business world. And controversy brings in money. There is a big picture here. The answer is where do you look?

Answer 6

If you go by my philosophy, honesty is no trait. Yes, being corrupt is certainly an evil. If you are honest, that only means that you either had a better control on yourself from getting corrupted, or you didn't get a chance to get corrupted. Look at it this way and the feeling of being honest ...and therefore, superior to other human beings will never ride over your head.

Answer 7

Without wanting to argue the semantics , Honesty is not a species . Species can become extinct , a Virtue cannot , since it is a concept .
Honesty will die out , only when no babies are born -- we are all born honest ; I have yet to see a dishonest baby , though we teach them soon enough !

Answer 8

Maybe.

The law of cause and effect indicates that we can only experience dishonesty in others if it is something that we also practice.

Look at self honesty first. When you identify where you are being dishonest and then change your behaviour, suddenly you will be unable to see dishonesty in others.

Answer 9

Falsehood is into such high extremes that many are feeling if not they will be the endangered species.
Dishonesty from the rulers (politicians/administrators) from the tax payers from the traders etc etc.
Else what can you blame for such low morale and virtues in every walk of life.

Answer 10

There's not much honesty in this world, but that's because people live thinking that the truth is exterior, so they are not honest with themselves, and with others. When they start to find that the truth inside their hearts our world will be truth and not illusion. Pure love...

Answer 11

Honesty is alive and well. Sadly, just like teenagers; the bad ones get all the headlines, attention and effort; while the good ones don't.