Being totally honest at times can lead to being immoral. For example, the doctor that tells the patient that he/she is doomed and there is no hope, even if there isn’t, can completely destroy a person in the last hours, days, weeks of their life… and even hasten death. Better to administer hope, and useless treatments, rather than put them in a state of despair. Being blunt and telling a youngster they have no talent and better prepare themselves for a life in menial jobs can be a recipe for suicide or even a life of crime.

It is better to tell a fib than the whole honest truth at times, just to be moral and kind. A world where everyone was brutally honest would be even worse than the world at hand.

On the other hand, lies told to relieve someone of their money or possessions is expressly evil. Lies about people that destroy careers and lives should be as punishable as any murder.

Humans are flawed creatures. The nature of the beast is one of greed and selfishness. Not to discount the great generosity of some few, but overall human nature is self-centered.

I would rather have a world where honesty reigned, with qualifications, and each person was more concerned about the outcome of their actions as related to others. Where being dishonest in business transactions, where money is concerned, and in other areas, would be something that simply never occurred to someone. The thought never entered the mind to be deceitful. Too much to hope for, I know, especially in an animal shaped by evolution, environment, and the struggle to endure.