Honesty is always the best policy; the truth will set you free. These are two phrases that all children have in betted into their heads from an early age and on. In a world where a lie detector exists, it is apparent that people do not always tell the truth. Is there ever a situation where telling the truth might possibly do the opposite of setting one free, or maybe even cause one to be viewed as a troublemaker? These are the double standards that people are faced with on a daily basis.
When people view a person as a trouble maker they instantly place a stigma onto that person. What happens when one is listed as a trouble maker for doing what we have always been told to do, tell the truth? If we are taught to tell the truth than should a best friends tell each other their new bag is hideous? Should a husband tell his wife that she needs to put the pizza down and go to the gym? In these cases honesty is obviously not the best policy. In some cases that golden trait of truth telling becomes an instant ticket to trouble maker status. Obviously these circumstances are rare and telling the truth is a quality that should be upheld.
If society felt it was acceptable to not tell the truth, the nation would have utter chaos.
Telling the truth is not only morally correct but it also carries with it justice. Truth telling is what conjures criminals to come forth and plead guilty. It allows victims to push aside their fear and take their cases to the police. Giving or not giving the truth is a decision that can have astronomical effects. Some of us choose to hide from the truth because it is too painful; like a mother who finds drugs in her son’s pocket, or a girl who finds out she didn’t get accepted to her favorite college. The truth is a powerful thing, that power can bring with it positive feelings or very painful ones.
When one hears the word “trouble” they instantly feel the unshakable butterflies in the stomach. The word troublemaker only adds on to the harsh reputation of the word. One who is viewed as a troublemaker tends to be viewed as the bad guy, but do they appear this way to every point of view? When a boy tells on a group whom is cheating on a test he is viewed by the group as a troublemaker; but the teacher would view the boy as truthful and the group as troublemakers. This shows how everyone has their own definition for what a troublemaker appears as. This situation also provides evidence that telling the truth can also be viewed in different ways. In this case the group cheating believes telling the truth was troublesome; however, the teacher views the truth as being necessary and helpful.
The double standards that come with telling the truth and being a troublemaker are what force people to use their judgment. There are no rules that say when one should speak the truth or when one should hide it. Just like there is no definition of what exactly makes a troublemaker. People have learned over time how to judge situations by society’s standards. This allows the formation of rational reasoning for when and when not to tell the truth, and for who is viewed as a troublemaker.
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