Same topic as last night because I had more to write.  I’d hit my 1,000-word limit and had to call it quits.  I have been told it is hard for writers to compete with Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and audiobooks.  One guy I met who is a real writer said to me that he is about to give up on it because it is so hard to captivate the attention of others with written words anymore.   So, thanks for reading; please share the links to the posts you like, and if you ever have something that I can connect to our educational system, please reach out.  Guest posts are welcomed, too – and I have one coming from a reader who sent me some great stuff.

To the continuum of deception that I referenced yesterday – I learned about social faking.  This is when we keep our feelings to ourselves rather than say what’s really on our minds so things don’t get weird.  You show interest when you can care less but don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Or the opposite – what if you always told the absolute truth?  Imagine meeting someone at a cocktail party and telling them their breath smells awful right out of the gate.  No harm there, right?  I mean, it might be the truth after all. 

Is not telling a person their breath smells of decay a crime of omission?  Or is it like when you are asked how many beers you had and the answer you give is two – which is technically accurate, but when you neglect to mention the glass of wine, Jello shot, and chocolate martini – you might be in a little bit of trouble when the whole truth and nothing but the truth comes out.  It all comes down to when it is appropriate to apply a comfort measure and when it is appropriate to let the truth come out of your mouth and hit the floor.  The real question is this – is your lie causing damage?  Is your dishonesty done with the intent of causing real harm to a person’s reputation and character? And if so, why?  Why would you do that to someone? What do you have to gain?

I learned today that we crave the truth because it gives us a sense of predictability in our lives.  This predictability is important for how we feel and, in some cases, our survival.  If you are a police officer and your partner says they have your back – you believe them right.  And when the time comes for that to be true, it just could be a life-or-death situation.  This predictability is what we crave in our relationships – so when your partner hides their phone and you ask why – the lie you get is like the chip in the windshield that eventually becomes several cracks across.  The fact is that when there isn’t any semblance of truth, relationships break down – and a good case can be made that society is experiencing a bit of a breakdown because the truth doesn’t exist anymore.   Just flip back and forth between CNN and FOX to catch my drift.

I was told a story once about trust and truth.  Cup your hands and fill them with water.  When a person trusts you and believes in you, they are handing you two hands full of water that you are holding.  Then, when, for whatever reason, that gets wrecked, the water drops to the floor.  For that individual to trust you again, you must pick up all the water and get it back in your hands.  Good luck. Truth exists on a continuum, and so do lies.  It was explained to me in the realm of buying and selling.  And sadly, some people are out there selling trash.  Think about this tomorrow.  When are you a buyer, and when are you a seller?  Why?

I got a text from another parent in my town the other day and discovered my son made a football card trade with a not-so-local connection.  This kid mailed my son the card he made the deal for, but my son neglected to mail out his half of the agreement.  The symptoms of this condition had to be treated, and the out-of-state kid had to get his card.  But the condition had to be treated as well.  This has resulted in all sorts of convo about honesty, keeping up his end of the deal, and how something like this (intentional or accidental) can lead to real consequences in life. 

This exploration of deception, truth, and the consequence of dishonesty extends naturally into public education, where preparing students to navigate a dog-eat-dog world will impact their success and happiness.  The vignettes of social faking, omission, and the quest for predictability underscore the importance of teaching integrity, transparency, and the value of trust within our educational systems. Schools are not just venues for academic learning but crucial environments for social and ethical development.

By incorporating lessons on honesty, the impact of lies, and the significance of trust into the curriculum, educators can equip students with the critical thinking skills necessary to discern truth from deception and the moral compass to navigate their choices responsibly. So until Apple or Microsoft comes out with a scumbag detector (which would have been beneficial for me), we will have to depend upon a focus on ethical education.  This will help lay the foundation for a more honest society where personal, professional, or civic relationships are built on a bedrock of trust. Through fostering an environment that values and practices honesty, public education plays a pivotal role in shaping individuals who are knowledgeable and conscientious citizens capable of contributing positively to their communities and the broader world.