Honesty Is Not Always the Best Policy

I always tried to tell the truth but sometimes, being truthful isnt always the best. There are times when we might want to avoid the full truth, or even tell a lie, in order to protect someones feelings, or prevent a conflict. I believe we all have to lie or even obscure the truth once in our life. There are three incidents that I can think of when it was best to lie and obscure the truth. When my little young niece asked about her childhood fantasies such as Tooth Fairy or Santa Clause ever existed.

I didnt want to be coldhearted to tell her they dont exist. When someone is ill and hospitalized, it is better not to tell him or her the negative thoughts. Negative thoughts have always struck down patients consciousness of fighting with illness. When my mother asked my father if she was getting too fat. My father had to lie to avoid a conflict and argument with my mother.

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Young children are most likely curious about their childhood fantasies such as Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause. We all remember when we were little kids, our parents never told us that Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause are phonies. As we are becoming adults now, we keep the custom and lie to young children that Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause do exist. Have we felt guilty lying to children about their childhood fantasies? Of course not, because we dont want to destroyed or disappointed childrens childhood fantasies. We never heard kids obsess with their fantasies at their childhood or there are cases, which childhood fantasies affect children as they grow up.

But we have experienced how disappointed children would be when they find out their childhood fantasies are phonies. Childhood fantasies are stories that children need as they grow up. It makes children have hope and expectation for their lives. Therefore, it is okay to tell children white lies to protect them from dis! appointment. When my little niece asked me if Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause really exist, I had to obscure the truth and tell her yes.

Hospitalized patient are also people who do not necessary need the truth. When people are ill, no matter they are just having fever or they are going to die soon, they all need people to cheer them up and encourage them in order to fight with their illness. Besides, there are cases that some patients attempt to commit suicide after they discovered they are going to die soon. There are always hopes as long as patients have faith in their lives. Under this circumstance, we should cover up the truth and mentally support them to fight with the illness. For example, when my grandmother was hospitalized, the Dr. told us she only had two more years to live because of her cancer. We hid the truth and encourage her when she was doing chemotherapy. The support we provided helped her a lot, because she didnt die within two years, but live for four more years.

Sometimes we have to lie to our dear ones such as parents. When my mother asked my father if she was getting too fat is the example that people have to lie to prevent a conflict. Every time when my parents were dressing up for relatives wedding or some important meetings, my mother would ask my father if she looks fat in this dress. Sometimes when my father was too focused on his own stuff, he slipped an answer such as yeah, kind of without giving any thought. My mother got mad at my father not only for being unsupportive but also hurting her feelings. Most of the time, my father is smart enough to tell her she looks fine to avoid any conflict between them.

We all lied for several reasons although honesty is the best policy. There are times in which it is best to avoid or even obscure the truth in order to protect someones feelings, or prevent a conflict. The examples mentioned are from my own life experiences and observation. I lied to my niece so she wont be disappointed that her childhood fantasies are just a myth. Our families lied to my grandmother so she wouldnt lose faith. My father lied to my mother so they wouldnt get into a conflict. However, not all lies are helpful, some lies can be harmful. You have to use good judgments.