Further to Is it rude to tell the truth?
In my brief stay in the home of my parents, and in boarding school, I was taught to be polite. I am a polite person, as a general rule.
So where is the boundary between your right to speaking truth and others rights to be treated politely. Well I say they don’t have a lot to do with each other. I will try to explain.
Rudeness is
- being late, regularly giving a message their time is more important than yours
- constantly interrupting
- throwing garbage on public property
- blocking other peoples path without regard
- leaving cell phones on all the time etc.
Speaking truth is
- your obligation to the uplifting of the world
- “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter” by ML King
- there is nothing but the truth no matter how much you want to deny it, ignore it, close your eyes to it
- how can you expect any kind of good relationship without telling the truth. They are then reacting to, what ?
- Because the best option (with few exceptions) is telling the truth or you demean yourself. Lies were told about me but ultimately the price will not just be mine.
Perhaps it is part of the wisdom you accumulate in working through life and the line between speaking up with your truth and not being rude. Be clear – I feel there are times when I don’t care if I or someone is being rude. If it is in the best interest of man-kind then so be it. I know a few people if I sat down with them I wouldn’t care if I was rude or not. But a person with some wisdom and intelligence will make the right call – tell the truth and be polite, if it is in everyone’s best interest.
I believe the better position may be, at times, silence or walking away.
Yes, to silence and walking away. rude people will always be ugly. Are manners such an antiquated custom? Make me wonder.
I would have to say I do believe honesty wins out