Opinion | Honesty is better than lying

It is better to be honest than to tell a white lie, though it does depend on the situation. For example, if you are in danger or in a risky situation and you are scared of something or someone, I believe it is OK to lie. Everyone has lied before. I know that I have told white lies a few times over the course of my life, though I genuinely cannot remember the last time that I really did lie — especially about something serious.

Honesty can help build more trust in your relationships with others. Lying can give you a bad reputation — I would not want to risk my reputation with others over a lie. Honesty doesn’t make you feel bad, and at least the person you are talking to knows the truth. 

There are some people that get mad at others for being honest and telling the truth. I would much rather have someone be completely honest with me than lie to me just to make me feel better in some sort of way. Being straight up about something is OK, but there is no need to be offensive and rude. There’s always a way to tell people the hard truth without hurting their feelings, and they’ll end up better off than if you had lied to them.

Additionally, if someone lies to you, then what if you never found out the truth? Or, what if you found out the truth later on from someone else? When people lie about something little, they may not think about the impact the lie could have later on.

Many people think white lies are harmless, but there is always the possibility of one circling back around. People may find out the truth, and you may find yourself in a bit of a sticky situation. Sometimes, though, you can’t get around telling a white lie. For example, you requested a day off work and your boss still scheduled you that day, so you call your boss and tell them you are sick. Everyone has had to do this before — it seems unavoidable, and that is OK.

But you should still avoid lying in a business environment, where you need to build trust with your co-workers, especially your boss. For example, people often lie in interviews. Lying in an interview can get you further, but what if you lie about something you can’t do? What if that lie specifically lands you the job and there is no going back? Someone could be in charge of a certain task at work and not be able to properly fulfill it if they lied about their abilities in an interview.

In the long run, lying is not beneficial. If you lie during a serious matter, it may hurt you in the future. If it’s found out that you lied, some people may not trust you as much as they used to. Being honest is good when it comes to building relationships and trust in those relationships — I wouldn’t want to let a lie I tell make that trust disappear. You want people to know you as a good person, not as a liar.

Honesty is almost always more helpful than lying. Honesty allows one to build trust and respect in their relationships. If you are willing to take the risk of lying in big situations, it’s your choice, but always be wary of the consequences that could arise. 

Do you agree or disagree? Have any extra opinions? You can email Irene at inm24@pitt.edu.