If The Handle Fits

Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle that fits them all. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Never trust a liar in any way.

Honestly

Honesty is the recognition of the fact that the unreal is unreal and can have no value, that neither love nor fame nor cash is a value if obtained by fraud. - Ayn Rand


Having is not the reward, honestly getting is.

Swindle or Solution

A proposal that requires you to ignore both the past and the future is a swindle, not a solution. - John Hayward


Or history and prediction based on faith rather than fact.


(Other posts on Honesty)

Trade Etiquette

In order to protect rights or trade, we need a way to do so, and etiquette provides us with such a means. Etiquette is a form of communication which, like language, requires both parties to understand and abide by certain conventions. You could not have morality or trade without language. And all social interactions also require additional commonly-understood protocols. - Gus Van Horn


You have every reason to expect being treated respectfully, honestly and morally even from those who have differing opinions. 


(Other posts on Respect)

Humanitarian Hypocrisy

A humanitarian is always a hypocrite. - George Orwell


...or worse. I will be doing an augmented post on this subject.


(Other posts on Honesty)

The Bard Speaks the Truth

This above all: to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day; Thou canst not then be false to any man. - William Shakespeare


I've heard the first part a million times but never the last part. How come?


(Other posts on Honesty)

Injury Scales

The injuries we do and those we suffer are seldom weighed in the same scales. - Aesop 


Something to keep in mind when apologizing.


(Other posts on Mistakes) 

Careless Truth

It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentionally lying that there is so much falsehood in the world. - Samuel Johnson 


There may be a difference between carelessness about truth and in intentional lying but the symptoms and results are the same. The degree of sin committed is approximately equal.


(Other posts on Truth) 

Hypocritical Humility

Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose the former and have seen no reason to change. - Frank Lloyd Wright 


Seems to have worked for him.


(Other posts on Honesty) 

Redistribution of Honesty

Every man is dishonest who lives upon the labor of others, no matter if he occupies a throne. - Robert Green Ingersoll 


Consider the implications of this in the redistributing of wealth by the government.


(Other posts on Government) 

White Lies

Those that think it permissible to tell white lies soon grow color blind. - Austin O'Malley


Hum....why do politicians come to mind?


(Other posts on Honesty)

Where Facts Are Few

Where facts are few, experts are many. - Donald R. Gannon

Where facts are few the expert is more of a gossiper but when facts are many - and most are ignored - the expert becomes a huckster.

Trust Deceived

You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you do not trust enough. - Dr. Frank Crane



My tendency is to trust until deceived. I may be poorer for that approach but at least I'm not tormented.

Honesty

The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy. - Robert E. Lee



It follows then that the man who believes there is no absolute right or wrong cannot be truly honest.

Leadership

When two men ride of a horse, one must ride behind. - Shakespeare

The rider in front steers. The one behind is along for the ride. Choose your place.

I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than to be crowded on a velvet cushion. – Henry David Thoreau
This may be the refrain of the sole proprietor

The substance of the eminent Socialist gentleman’s speech is that making a profit is a sin, but it is my belief that the real sin is taking a loss. – Winston Churchill

It would have been nice if he had included something like “unless the loss was caused by your adherence to honesty.” Dishonest profit is worse than a sin.