What's The Point of Being Honest When It Doesn't Pay?

Honesty is the best policy.

​How many times have we been encouraged since we were little to always tell the truth and be our real selves? 

We grow up believing that being a good person means being honest. We integrate honesty into our lifestyle, choosing never to cheat, and realize that being truthful yields genuine relationships.

​As we mature, as the world exposes itself, and as we encounter people with vast experiences, another truth begins to unfold before us, one that baffles us:

​We are told to lie. What?

​But lying doesn't get you anywhere. It's wrong to lie. We don't want to be known as a liar, a manipulator, or a deceiver. You hold fast to morals and ethics, anchors in a confusing world.

​Guess how much time it takes you before this ideology clashes with reality?

​Almost immediately.

​The second you step into a classroom. Are you seriously going to tell your teacher you were watching a marathon of your favorite movie series rather than doing your homework? This is how the "dog ate my homework" lie was invented. Are you going to tell your best friend you were sleeping the whole day rather than showing up to help them study?

​The lies get more complex as you get older. An adult knows dogs don't eat homework, you're organized enough to keep important papers out of reach, or so you claim. 

So, you blame the computer, the software corrupting, or documents getting misplaced while moving. Don't want to take a call? Too bad the phone ran out of charge. Missed a friend's birthday? You had to work late, or you were out of town.

​The older you get, the more excuses slip off easily. Everyone buys it, too. Adults do have complicated lives after all.

​There is too much to do, too little time, and everyone wants a piece of you. Your boss wants you to work longer hours. Your friends want to plan a trip. Your partner wants to celebrate a random anniversary. Your kid wants to go to the zoo.

​And what about you? You want to sit home and eat pizza while binging on your favorite show.

​If you want to achieve that one moment of peace, you will have to lie.

​Gasp! But you're such an honest person.

​Now go and tell your boss/friend/partner/kid that you don't want to spend time with them because you want some "me" time. Of course, you will be labeled incompetent and selfish. These aren't the tags you want to describe your personality, and so, you indulge in a small lie.

​It's a white lie. Call it whatever, but it's your first step into being situationally dishonest.

​You will soon realize that if you want literally anything for yourself, you sometimes need to lie. It's just a little bit, but honesty isn't going to get you what you want directly. It's definitely not prompting your boss to pay you for sitting home watching TV and eating pizza. So you call in sick, you are entitled to a leave, but it's not your fault you didn't actually fall sick the whole year.

​So...what is the point of being honest?

​Honesty works in small doses and in different compartments.

​Want an honest, long-lasting relationship? You have to be honest.

​Want some time to yourself or a break from everything but don't want others to label you? Be a little dishonest.

​Need to get hired for a job? You exaggerated your qualifications. It got you the job, and all it took was a teensy lie.

​Want your kid to retain their innocent nature? You tell them fairies exist. It's a small lie, but the look of wonder on a kid's face is worth it.

​Honesty doesn't always pay, but it does let you afford some moments in your life that wouldn't otherwise be attainable.