Why do people see liars as honest?

Question

"He's so real." "He tells it like it is." "He rips on everyone." "He doesn't lie. He calls 'em like he sees 'em." "He doesn't care what people think."
Somehow, somewhere, street logic has filtered itself into the US mainstream. People see lairs as heroes of honesty and, yes, integrity because they have the ability to say ANYTHING without tack or class. Jerks and verbal bullies are the most candid with other people’s fault, even though they hide and deflect from their faults like their lives depended on it. This isn’t just high school anymore. People of all ages are fooled by this fake integrity while the jerks are laughing their heads off. I'm sick of it. "No, your honor, he didn't treat me like this when we met... Although he did treat other people like this, but never me."
My question details have a lot of emotions in it, but don't let that distract you from answering the question WITHOUT a solution, instead of just correcting the way I asked it. You know what I’m talking about.

Thank you so much for the insightful answers so far. Please keep them coming!

Answer 1

becaus we're all dumb, and we are all liars...no one likes to be deicieved or hurt when there not expecting it, its easier to believe that if someone tells u something to ur face u can protect and defend urself rather than if someone you thought told you everything was saying things behind your back

people also like to hear the truth when its not about them...surviving the only way they can (by default)

Answer 2

I don't know if I'd call those people liars. I think your description of them as jerks and verbal bullies is more apt. Willingness to say anything without tact is not lying.

Now, I can see your point on them hiding their own faults while exposing others as being dishonest, but I don't know if I'd call it lying. In particular, I think some of these people can't see their own faults. You could say their not being honest with themselves and are thus liars, but I think that's a hard one to call.

Another issue is: what about people who admit they are flawed but still point out the flaws of others? Are they liars? They might match some of the descriptions you posted, such as "He tells it like it is", but honestly be trying to help others and tell truths that are difficult to hear.

I think this is a difficult question to answer simply because you can't know what another person is thinking. Which of these categories does the person you're speaking with belong to?
Since we can't know, we try to ascribe these "liars" with good qualities hoping that we're not surrounded by scum. We also don't want to admit that we might be scum ourselves, and so we see ourselves as "honest" and trying to help others when all we're really doing is tearing them down to feel better about ourselves. Or maybe we really do want to help and are fully willing to admit our faults, they're just not relevant at the time we're pointing out someone's problem and trying to help them with it.

Sorry for the rambling, but this is an interesting and complex question. I'll probably have to think more about this topic.

Answer 3

The easiest way to build a reputation for honesty and integrity is to tell people "I value my reputation for honesty and integrity." and give an example. After that you can lie all you want--they know you are honest.

People are gullible. If you aren't gullible, people probably don't trust you. Trust has little to do with honesty. It's about perception.

Answer 4

people like to believe that other people are telling the truth.

Overall most people like to see the good in others.

This is why so many people get suckered into things....