Truth and Honesty

If you're ever seen the movie "Liar, Liar" starring Jim Carrey, you might be wondering how come he just doesn't shut up if he doesn't want to tell the truth? I've wondered that myself. I guess it wouldn't be as funny if the character just shut his mouth.

I find myself thinking that there is a difference between being honest and being truthful. The former is telling the truth only when you're asked. Whereas the latter is telling the truth regardless.

Most people are honest but not always truthful. Apparently, being honest can be done so long as you're not telling a lie. Which means if someone asks you a question, you can refuse to answer and you would still be considered honest. But if you were being truthful, you must answer if they ask. In fact, you must tell them even if they don't ask.

I don't know what our world would be like if we all became truthful and not just honest. There are a lot of reasons why we choose to withold the truth. Mostly, it's just to make sure we don't hurt anyone's feelings or get in trouble. Would the world be a better place? Probably not.

The irony is that the definition of a lie is "not telling the truth" which could mean being honest or simply saying nothing at all.