Anyone else see those light beer commercials lately, where they take things to a 'too light' and 'too heavy' extreme, to make their point about their product? That's kind of like today's blog, except we're going from 'not honest enough' to 'come across as a belligerent asshat'. Welcome to Philosophy Friday. :)
Recent events and debates at one of the forums I moderate brought a familiar point to mind for me -- how honest is 'too honest'? As a few of you might know, and some of my friends have been on the receiving end of, I'd much rather be honest than nice, if I have to choose.
... Wait. Did you catch it? It's just right up there -- 'if' I have to choose. Let's be honest here, folks... anyone who knows me knows that if I don't like someone, I'll actually kind of enjoy being brutally honest with them to the point of being considered mean. Overall, though, I try and be honest and at least decent at the same time, until something forces my hand.
Some people don't try as much on the 'being decent' part of that. They're some of the most honest people I know, but like the stereotypical 80-year-old shaking his cane at the 'no-good, rotten kids' on his lawn, are flat-out mean in the presentation of their truthiness.
That line is something that people should be wary of, or at least people who care whether or not they alienate others. Some of my friends like those I mentioned above, who you could say fall into the 'honest asshole' group, I've had to just look over their times of being an ass to others with the simple thought "Well, they're my friend, so I guess I'll look over it" when they could have been just as honest, with just a little more effort put in to not come across as a belligerent jerk.
Bottom line? If you want to alienate people, go right ahead and be an honest asshole. Maybe you'll make some friends that, like me, will look over it because they've been the same way when they had no other choice. I'd rather be honest than nice if I have to choose, but unless I have to choose, why not be both?
Punisher Max #9 Review
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Punisher Max #9 I love this series. This is the true Punisher down to his
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3 comments:
I love that you wrote this. I can't understand why some people think being an "honest asshole" is endearing. I guess I was just raised right, but I expect common courtesy from people even when they're being brutally honest.
There are way too many people who express their opinions in the most confrontational way possible, then brag later about how they belittled someone. Try to bring it up to them and they're defense is - "hey, I was just being honest."
Sooo annoying. :)
I'll admit it, I've been guilty of being the honest asshole, but I KNOW that its not endearing. I just get to the point where I don't care, sometimes.
Glad you enjoyed it, though!
I'd rather deal with an Honest Asshole than a Pretentious Dick, anyday.
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