July 7th is Tell The Truth Day #TellTheTruthDay and like Geroge Washington I wish we could all say I can not tell a lie although we all know we have and more than we should at times. Which is why I was excited to find out about Tell The Truth Day and please share this day with everyone you know and remind them to tell the truth today.
Tell the Truth Day is observed on July 7th. Like most of us, at some point, you probably told a lie but, hopefully, it was just a white lie with little consequence. Which we still know is wrong. Unfortunately, lying can lead to much more harmful outcomes when lying becomes a personality trait. Truthfulness and honesty are the foundations of living with integrity.
The battle between lies and truth is present throughout human history. These two ideas have been at the center of everything from the creation of Countries to the development of complex philosophical debates. Staying on the topic of philosophy, the great Greek philosopher Plato sought to find circumstances where lying would be justified and Aristotle condemned all forms of lying.
On the other hand, truthfulness is also an idea that’s in the fiber of human history. For many philosophers including Kant and Schopenhauer, it’s considered a complex subject that’s influenced by circumstances. At the end of the day, living with a sense of truthfulness towards ourselves and others is what many people strive for.
People’s willingness to be truthful and honest is viewed as a sign of virtue. The best example of this is the ‘cherry tree myth.’ In this story, a young George Washington confesses to having chopped down his father’s Cherry Tree rather than lie about it. Whether this event happened has been debated by historians, but this story serves as an example of how we value honesty as a display of a great person. Truths and lies are also the driving force behind some of the great narratives. Every form of art and entertainment, from paintings to movies have portrayed these elements of the human condition.
HOW TO CELEBRATE TELL THE TRUTH DAY
- You and your family should make it your goal for the day to tell the truth and only the truth. Try and identify the moments when you would usually resort to lying and make an effort to tell the truth.
- Thell The Truth Day is a great day to explain the value of truthfulness to your children or other young family members and loved ones.
- Have you told a lie that you wish you could come clean of then today is a great opportunity to come clean.
FACTS ABOUT HONESTY
- Most employers place honesty as the top characteristic they want from their staff and as a business owner I can agree with this. How about you/
- Billy Joel wrote a song about Honesty,’ which was released in 1978, and “Honesty” is considered one of Billy Joel’s greatest hits.
- Research has shown that adults tend to lie 11 times per week, a little over once per day. Man oh, man that is a whole lotta lies.
- People give physical cues when they lie including but not limited to, looking away and fidgeting.
- 84% of consumers agree that brand honesty is very important to them.
WHY WE LOVE TELL THE TRUTH DAY
- A study from the University of Notre Dame found that telling fewer lies per week improved mental and physical health.
- Being honest is a fantastic way to relate to others.
- While the main objective is to be as honest as possible, Tell The Truth Day also invites us to reflect on why we lie in the first place.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
