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There's a difference between being honest and always saying what you think. You should be honest in your interactions but that doesn't mean you should tell ever

There's a difference between being honest and always saying what you think. You should be honest in your interactions but that doesn't mean you should tell everyone everything. You can be honest while being tactful. I think there's a line between being tactful and being manipulative and it may be different for everyone. For example you seem to think that Steve is telling a "white lie by omission" but I don't. Unless Steve was dishonest if questioned about his motivation or Steve was trying to pretend to be into the game rather being interested in Jack and his interests I wouldn't consider that being dishonest.

avindroth 10y ago
Most people live a fine life utilizing both honesty and white lie. Any normal parent won't look at their daughter in an ugly dress and yell, "That's ugly." Then you just lack social awareness. Here is the problem though. Much like the juxtaposition of equality and liberty, our beliefs about honesty and our intuition about honesty belie each other. (This might not make much sense but bear with me here.) If we believe that "Being honest always" is good (and that is what the article espouses), then we have already created a huge contradiction within ourselves. By holding that belief, you feel slightly righteous, but not quite so accurate. Because you can't always be honest. By holding that belief, you are always selling yourself short. But if you believe "I will use honesty and white lie to the best of my ability to do the most good for the other person", then you have an accurate (and also quite beautiful) map of the world. Hope that answers your point.