When my friend Robb asked me to write about a topic that dealt with what would happen in our world if everyone suddenly had to become 100% honest, I immediately thought about the movie “Liar Liar” with Jim Carrey. In it, Carrey plays Fletcher Reede, a lawyer with a chronic lying problem. But when his son makes a birthday wish for him to be honest for 24 hours actually comes true, Fletcher’s world is totally turned upside down and much hilariousness ensues.
But I’m not so sure that hilariousness would ensue if this actually became true for our entire planet all at once. The only reason why I say this is for the fact that so many in our world don’t tell the full truth on any given day. Some withhold it for quite deceptive reasons, while others do it to prevent hurting another’s feelings, and then there’s those who just lie because of their deep-seated insecurities about themselves. Sadly, I’ve been guilty of each of these reasons at varying points throughout my life.
Nevertheless, getting back to the original question Robb posed, what would happen if everyone suddenly became 100% honest in our world? I think there’d initially be an incredible amount of chaos, violence, and destruction, even more than our world is currently seeing.
I think about all the people who would discover their partners had been cheating on them if this were to happen.
I think about all the people who would discover some of their friends don’t even like them if this were to happen.
I think about all the scandals in places of business and the political world that would come to fruition if this were to happen.
I think about all the suppressed hatred and racism that would emerge out of individuals if this were to happen.
And so on and so forth…
Each of these things would be equivalent in my book like a stick of dynamite, setting off an explosion of anger from one person to the next.
So am I saying that it’s not good to be 100% honest?
Absolutely not! Because what I really believe is that honesty is the only way to go in life, even when being that way might blow up in my face. Why? Because I always feel far better inside in doing so, as compared to how I used to feel constantly guilty, shameful, or in doubt, especially in the face of God.
The sad reality though is that I know of many who are still holding the truth back from others and it’s killing them inside like a slow toxic eating away within themselves. I’ve felt that very thing before and it was never pleasant. In fact, it pretty much destroyed my ability to be a spiritually centered and unconditionally loving person in life.
So initially I think if everyone had to become 100% honest, the world would erupt into a huge amount of pandemonium for a while, but eventually, I also think it would be the best thing that could ever happen for all of us.
There are way too many lies in this world and that only gives the darkness within it more of a chance to grow. I don’t ever want the darkness to invade my life ever again and lying only ever gave it room to breathe within me.
Thank God I’m not a liar anymore. Thank God I do everything I can to be an honest person in both my verbal and written actions. And thank God for the fact that if this philosophical question ever did come to fruition, I would have nothing to worry about, at least not within me, because everything I’ve ever done up to this point in life is already out on the table.
So take it or leave it, I believe 100% honesty is the only way to be Robb, even when it hurts, because the freedom from living that way is far better than the darkness that comes from doing the exact opposite…
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
Great piece Andrew! I agree that in the beginning it would be complete and utter chaos, but in the end it would be amazing. A world free of lies would be amazing. Don’t get me wrong, I have lied, but my journey has finally brought me to a place where i see the hurt I have caused and I want to make the changes and be an honest person. Although, honesty can also hurt people. I think the big difference is that it lacks the malicious intent.