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Truthfulness Is Mandatory

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by HariLakhera, Sep 12, 2018.

  1. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Amulet Dear,
    You are so right. This is another way of saying yes and no. A very clever one and quite humorous. "...to the best of my knowledge " covers all. But then there is a difference between a caw and a spider and the butcher would not fall for it. hahaha
     
  2. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Syamalaji,
    Truth, at times can be bitter. It depends how bitter we can make it or how meaningful we design it. As you said , we should carry forward the teaching of our parents and so on and let them children learn from their own experience and that is what also did.
    It is always not possible to speak the truth and remain pleasing also particularly with children and friends. It is also not required to be diplomatic with them but tactful yes. Diplomacy is for others.
     
  3. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Agreed. Our moral responsibilities have limits. It is quite possible some one else guided him to the caw because everyone may not be burdened with similar morality. The morality of being good and truthful is always clouded. It is very difficult to do calculations of right or wrong. Over time we develop the habit. Either we speak the truth or keep silent or so ignorance. Both ways we may please one and displease other.
    Thanks for your feedback.
     
    kaniths likes this.
  4. troubledmom

    troubledmom Gold IL'ite

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    What is this Krishna, Rama, Arjuna you people are discussing here? Please, high time you update yourself and come into 21st century.

    We are in 2018 already so now you too must learn the new lingo:-
    - we are living in a ‘post-truth’ era
    - there is no more truth and lies, now there are facts and alternative facts
    - there are no more liars or cheaters, now they are all ‘performance artists playing a character’ and engaging in ‘rhetorical hyper bole’
    - now there is no more news and journalism it is all infotainment and entertainment in our wonderful 2018 ‘post-truth’ era.

    To sum up, the more things change the more they remain the same.
     
  5. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Thanks for your candid reply. Truthfulness is not mandatory.
     
  6. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:wonderful thought provoking.
    2. But society compulsions turn every one to be a smart lier for numerous reasons. It can also come under category called tact.
    3. Saint thirvalluvar in his treatise set out principles in chapter 30 translation below.
    290. Truth is defined as
    speaking words that cause no harm. 291
    Even a lie will be placed on par with the truth,
    if it yields unblemished benefits. 292
    Do not lie consciously; once you lie so,
    your own conscience will sear you.
    293. One who, guided by his heart, lives without lies,
    will forever live in the hearts of all. 294
    One who tells the truth, with all his heart, is ahead of those
    who do penance and charity. 295
    No other fame equals not lying; without any physical strain
    it yields all virtues. 296
    Not lying, not lying, if practiced, makes it acceptable
    not to do, not to do other righteous deeds. 297
    Not lying, if practiced unfailingly, makes it worthwhile
    to refrain from not doing the righteous deeds.
    5. One also reminded the king harichandra story. By telling truth in one go entails discomfiture.
    6. When truth percolate its effect or affect diminished.
    7. The truth is tradeable perishable concocted as in news paper.
    8. Truth can never be absolute.
    There would be hardly a sane person without uttering a lie or two almost daily. Diplomats are trained to tell lies like there YES really stands for NO and vice versa sometimes even ambivalent.
    8. Lies are helpful more than truths especially for characters in a long or lengthy dramas as in english bard William Shakespeare.
    In tamilnadu state government emblem proclaims "TRUTH PREVAILS " BUT you know the truth.
    THANKS AND REGARDS.
     
  7. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Troubledmom,
    Good one. Why should we be discussing anything at all, particularly ethics. It is neither here nor there. Same views in different words and different names. This is the age of robots and artificial intelligence. Now they will decide for us what is good and what is bad. They will decide what is true and what is false.
    And when you said the more the things the more they remain the same, I am inclined to think that definitions change and therefore things do change only our outlook does not change. And it will not change because our basic needs for food, clothe and shelter do not change and for satisfying them we will do whatever it takes.
     
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  8. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Cheeniya,
    Yes in love and war, as they say everything is fair. Ashwathama had no business to be fighting the war in the first place. It is his bad luck that he became the instrument of the death of his father.
    Lying for gain been justified even when Rama Killed Bali in the hiding. He too justified it .
    Likewise every untruth can be justified. We have rather graduated and achieved success par excellence.
     
  9. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Viswa,
    I am in total agreement with you. Politicians, businessmen, professionals are always at war with each other and among too. They can be excused. One cannot expect the trader to tell what his purchase price is and what his profit is but we do expect him not to play with the quality and measure of the product he sells. We do not expect a army man telling his opponent his strategy. WE do expect a teacher to teach us with the best of his ability and tell the truth.
    In personal life at least, we can be truthful. Well spouses are not expected to reveal their premarital engagements but are expected to be truthful to each other.
     
  10. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Shri Thyagarajan,
    I would say there are two types of lies- one which is told knowingly like in this case when the man willingly tells a lie to protect the caw. The other is which is told unknowingly. Lies told without knowledge can be excused. Lies told with full knowledge can be judged with intention as in this case to protect the caw.
    Unfortunately, there are more lies with knowledge. They may be politicians, businessmen or professionals and even parents and spouses.
    There are habitual lairs and nothing can be done about them. It is impossible to be all truthful. The only way out is to ensure that it does not harm anybody.
     

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