Reputation: Integrity and Lies

Reputation: Integrity and Lies



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"I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust," Bush said. "When we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."
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Why do people lie? The term “pathological liar” is used to describe people who lie so much that they can no longer help themselves. However, I imagine that the true reason most people lie is because they expect to benefit from doing so. More money, more sex, and the big one: More Power, tend to top the list from what I’ve seen. There are other reasons including avoiding punishment, avoiding criticism and garnering a reputation that they have not truly earned by presenting a false face to the world.


Reputation:

1. The general estimation that the public has for a person; "he acquired a reputation as an actor before he started writing"; "he was a person of bad report"
2. The state of being held in high esteem and honor.
3. Noteriety for some particular characteristic; "his reputation for promiscuity"


Every religious or moral code I'm aware of claims that lying is (almost?) always a bad thing. In particular, Buddhism sees lying as a refusal to accept reality -- and Buddhism teaches that all suffering results from refusing to accept reality. Christians believe in an omniscient God -- so lying is useless if God always knows the truth anyway, lying means running away from your personal relationship with God, and refusing to trust in God's wise plan.

If you are not hampered by the dictates of a religious system, why would you tell the truth then? There is plenty to be gained from lying. Why would you tell the truth when doing so hurts? Well, telling the truth, even when it hurts – especially when it hurts – creates a reputation for telling the truth. People who have a good reputation are favored by those who know about it, leading to more opportunities for friendship, better and deeper romantic relationships, more fulfilling business relationships, and other transactional benefits. People who have a reputation for lying usually end up spending their time preying on strangers because people won’t have any trust in them and give them the chance to hurt them.

A good reputation can then lead to smooth sailing across the waters of life.

A reputation for telling the truth, even when it hurts yourself, is a sign of integrity usually rewarded with trust. Let’s look at the structure of Trust for just a second. What is it with regards to this situation? Trust is the extension of credit that what one says or does is the truth. It is the extension of credit without immediate proof. Without a reputation for telling the truth, you forfeit trust and will no longer garner the credit in your word, leaving you to prove everything you say before you will be taken to your word.

Integrity, moral soundness, is the inner quality that leads us to do the right thing in spite of the personal costs. Telling the truth exposes our inner integrity. Lies cover that up… for a time. Eventually, if you lie long enough, you will be exposed.

So, after all this, what am I leading up to. Well, this rambling has a point. If you want to have amiable, cooperative relations with others, you will need to garner a good reputation for integrity. Otherwise, you forfeit trust which cuts off the extension of credit in your word. Without that, you have to barter in hard currency, whatever that might be for your particular transaction.

Isn't George Bush on all of our minds?

Just some things to think about for today.


Amiable:

1. Diffusing warmth and friendliness, “an affable smile”; “an amiable gathering”; “cordial relations”; “a genial host”.
2. Disposed to please