Over ages, the claim that honesty is the best policy has elicited endless debates regarding its validity. Across cultures, religions, and generations, people have always emphasized the need to uphold the highest moral standards for the well-being of the society and the people. Most people feel that being honest is a good vice while others think that there is no harm in not being honest. Either way, there is a compelling justification that honesty, which should be practiced by all people at all times, is better.
According to Rogers (162), honesty is the best policy because it brings forth mental peace. A person who is honest does not develop a guilty conscience or carry the burden of remembering the lies they said in the past. Additionally, being honest cultivates a relationship of mutual trust between people. It shows the maturity of character and ability to stand for a just cause no matter the circumstances. Given that people need one another for material, moral and emotional support, being honest builds strong social and interpersonal relationships which come in handy during moments of difficulties. Dishonest people never get a second chance to convince their victims that they have changed their manners. Thus, it can be quite difficult for a dishonest person to get help from friends, families and colleagues if they lied before.
Despite the existence of a myriad of justifications for honesty, some people feel that being dishonest can be helpful under certain circumstances. According to Barbara and Andrew (86), lying can be ethical if it is done to avert a potentially dangerous consequence. For example, lying to robbers is not necessarily bad if doing so can make them change their minds favorably. From my personal experience, I have always found myself in several situations where I had to lie albeit unwillingly. In one occasion, I forgot to switch off the oven after cooking. As a result, the fireplace overheated causing nearby objects to burn. Luckily, the fire was put off before causing any serious damage. When my father came, he was very angry with me. Knowing that he could punish me ruthlessly, I lied that the fire was caused by an electric fault. He forgave me but I have never forgiven myself for lying. Funny enough, I have never had courage to tell my father the truth.
Rogers (160) refutes the notion that honesty is the best policy by arguing that there are situations when a lie can save relationships. He gives the example of employment relationships where workers have to make small lies occasionally to get positive recommendations or avoid penalties. In strict organizations, being too honest can lead to dismissal or negative performance ratings. This may compel employees to be dishonest even though that might not be their character. Barbara and Andrew (84) have cautioned that lying too often in the workplace can lead to poor performance and inability to make a sound judgment about oneself.
In view of the arguments for and against the debate, this paper takes the view that honesty is a value that should be embraced seriously at all times. Although certain situations may compel people to be dishonest, they should not nurture a spirit of dishonesty because it is not a virtue. Most importantly, people should at all times behave and act in a manner that reinforces a spirit of trust and cordial relationships regardless of the prevailing circumstances.
Works cited
Barbara MacKinnon, Andrew Fiala. Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues. New York: Cengage Learning, 2015.
Rogers, Carl. Toward a modern approach to values: The valuing process in the mature person.", The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, vol. 68, no.2: 160-167, 1996.
