SearchTrue honesty is in short supply.
There’s a lot of lies out there in sales, the media and even everyday conversation. In a world where we say “honesty is the best policy,” why are we surrounded by so much deception? And what would happen if people stopped manipulating and started telling… The TRUTH?!
First, let’s explore why we have such a hard time telling the truth out there. Often times, when someone claims to tell you the truth, they are actually expressing something else: Their opinion. They may well 100% believe it to be true themselves, but it’s only their own personal truth–and it may not necessarily apply to you or anyone else. When someone claims a company is the “best” or the “most experienced” or the “market leader,” is that actually a true, confirmable fact or it is really just someone’s unverifiable claim? But hey, it’s not just companies and their advocates that are doing it…
We state opinion as truth all the time in everyday conversation. Now, we probably don’t mean to manipulate in doing that, but it’s all too easy to state your opinion as fact. Luckily, most people can separate this out in daily dialog, and can easily tell the difference between the two. It’s a different story, however, in businesses and the media… So much of the time commercials and sales pitches are literally engineered to trick or entice you into buying into someone else’s agenda! The problem there is that it’s all about them and not about you.
Being honest in doing business means telling potential customers it’s OK to walk away if it’s not a fit for them. It’s not about the salesman or company’s bottom line–it’s about you and your needs. And, ultimately, the decision to buy should be up to you. So what would happen if everyone started telling the truth? Your guess is as good as mine (my money’s on societal collapse and/or full blown apocalypse). Regardless, watch television or look at some ads on the internet and I can almost guarantee you won’t see much truth presented to you.
One thing we can control is ourselves. We can actively search for the truth. If something seems “too good to be true,” find out if that’s really the case! Before you forward that urgent email or share that sensational article, perhaps check and see if it’s the real deal. Get a second opinion. Research what else is out there. Do your own due diligence.
Maybe if we stop being so OK with being lied to, the world will start to become more honest. But of course, that’s all just my opinion 🙂
Looking for the truth? Maybe you can find it in the comments below.
