It was yesterday when I was feeling on a high (sweet dreams, world going to the dogs) when I perchance found my dear friend online on GMail’s chat services. It is very rare that one finds a person effortlessly reflecting and complementing one’s thoughts as well as my friend does. Here is a snippet of the conversation because it contains in it a gem of a thought! š
Ā Homo Hopelus: Dumb spiral spearmints?
Ā Homo Incredulus: š
Ā Homo Hopelus: hello
Ā Homo Incredulus: you know, I like your translations compared to the actual one š
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā hello
Ā Homo Hopelus: but of course
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I take the obvious out of the not-so-obvious
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā š
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā all that remains is not-so
Ā Ā how have you been?
Ā Homo Incredulus: it was a hectic week
Ā Homo Hopelus: good
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā must be feeling happy
Ā Homo Incredulus: too many meetings…
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā not really
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā i was torn between being homicidal and suicidal
Ā Homo Hopelus: oh ok
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā neat
Ā Ā you must have looked like most human beings I get to meet nowadays
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā or most human beings
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā š
Ā Homo Incredulus: you are absolutely right!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā let me call my mothership and give them this good news…
Ā Homo Hopelus: what is good news?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I thought human beings still existing was bad news
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā no?
Ā Homo Incredulus: oh no no
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā we need human beings for our own survival
Ā Homo Hopelus: really?
Ā Homo Incredulus: who will do all the dirty work of human beings are not there?
Ā Homo Hopelus: this is news!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā There would be no dirty work, m’mselle
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā you miss the point
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā eliminate human beings and there is nothing dirty left on earth
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā hence, no work is dirty
Ā Homo Incredulus: hmmm you have a point
Ā Homo Hopelus: all will be beautiful!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā merci
Ā Homo Incredulus: but you see, we dont want to miss the pattern this nature is having…
Ā Homo Hopelus: Nature has gone tipsy
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā bribed by the champagne that man fed Her
Ā Homo Incredulus: oh well, i always thought nature was a little drunk when she
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā gave an intution to man to use his thumb
Ā Homo Hopelus: š
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā you don’t like people operating the lift?
Ā Homo Incredulus: nor their cell phones
Ā Homo Hopelus: ooooooh! YES!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā That is one helluva no-no
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā off with their thumbs
Ā Homo Incredulus: exactly
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā you know over the course of evolution, there is always a species Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā higher than the rest…
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā be it in power or in (mis)using the environment
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā humans have to wait for the next big thing thats all…
Ā Homo Hopelus: Britney Spears!!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā š
Ā Homo Incredulus: š
Homo Incredulus: your blog
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā honesty stuff
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tell me one thing…
Ā Homo Hopelus: I wrote nothing today…
Ā Homo Incredulus: 26th baba
Ā Homo Hopelus: Oh that!
Ā shoot
Ā Homo Incredulus: a terrorist held a british man at gun point and asked him if he was a
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā brit if you were in that situation, what would you have done?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tell the terrorist that you are really a brit or not?
Ā Homo Hopelus: I would have asked him why he needs a gun to elicit that info from me?
Ā Homo Incredulus: come on man
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā boolean answer
Ā Homo Hopelus: I would have given him 2 pieces of cord and asked him to tie my hands
Ā Ā and legs to assure himself that I am not running away
Ā Homo Incredulus: hmm…
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā if you were alive that is
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā in that situation, perhaps I would honestly lie
Ā Homo Hopelus: maybe I would
Ā Ā but I am not sure
Ā Ā in the state I am in
Ā Ā where I care a damn about living
Ā Ā I might just ask him which nationality will surely get me killed
Ā Ā and tell him that I come from there
Ā š
Ā but jokes apart
Ā I think I would say I am brit
Ā though, 99.99% I would not give a boolean answer
Ā Homo Incredulus: i am sure of that!
Ā Homo Hopelus: š
Ā Homo Incredulus: i am sure your answer will not be less than 20 words either
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā if not a lecture
Ā Homo Hopelus: I would ensure that he drops the gun and doesn’t go about this
Ā Ā madness
Ā Ā but that is life
Ā Homo Incredulus: hmm…maybe
Ā Homo Hopelus: I think honesty is not about mechanical truth
Ā Homo Incredulus: š
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā in your post, you have equated honesty to truth
Ā Homo Hopelus: I think it is fun when people lie to tease to surprise or out of simple fear
Ā Homo Incredulus: which, i dont believe in
Ā Homo Hopelus: like your parents asking you whether you ate your greens
Ā Homo Incredulus: hmm…
Ā Homo Hopelus: I don’t think so
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I think I said that honesty is vital because it is rightness and the Truth
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā not sure though
Ā I have to go back to my post for that…
Ā š
Ā Homo Incredulus: he he he
Ā Homo Hopelus: but that is what I feel
Ā Homo Incredulus: hmm…
Ā Homo Hopelus: honesty is an enabler for a right environment
Ā Homo Incredulus: “There is only one reason to be honest, because that is the Truth, that is rightness.”
Ā Homo Hopelus: exactly
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā which is not the same as saying honesty equated to truth
Ā Homo Incredulus: right
Ā Homo Hopelus: truth is the state of being true to one’s soul
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā it is also the legal act of stating facts
Ā Ā which is important though not without a pinch of salt
Ā Homo Incredulus: but isnt truth based on a standard set of assumptions and also on a set
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā of logical facts?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā sun rises in the east –> this is true; always
Ā Homo Hopelus: not sure I understand your earlier query
Ā Ā Ā see
Ā Ā Ā truth is, to me, being true
Ā Ā Ā true to one’s soul
Ā Ā Ā one’s conscience
Ā Ā Ā one’s vital nature
Ā Ā Ā and one’s environment
Ā Ā Ā if I lie in order to bring harm directly or indirectly then it is not acceptable
Ā Ā Ā if I lie to insidiously misrepresent reality, then it is not acceptable
Ā Homo Incredulus: hmm…
Ā Homo Hopelus: but the slight meanderings of truth in order to encompass the lightness of being and
Ā Ā Ā enjoying life is fine, IMHO.
Ā Ā Ā and that is Honest and not Humble
Ā Ā Ā š
Ā Homo Incredulus: š i see
Ā Homo Hopelus: so you see where I make the distinction?
Ā Homo Incredulus: yeah
Ā Homo Hopelus: If I am called upon to speak the truth as a representation of facts in order to
Ā Ā Ā Ā save someone or incriminate someone then I will
Ā Ā Ā Ā but that is something that can be performed by a video camera or any
Ā Ā Ā Ā recording device
Ā Ā Ā Ā and that is not of the soul
Ā Ā Ā Ā when I am called to be honest as a gesture of respect to my environment
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā and fellow human beings
Ā Homo Incredulus: is you value truth more than humanity itself? doesnt a man deserve to atone?
Ā Homo Hopelus: then that is something that concerns me
Ā Ā I am not sure I understand
Ā Ā atone?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā atone for what?
Ā Homo Incredulus: hang on a sec
Ā Homo Hopelus: and what does that have to do with my being honest
Ā Ā okee
Ā Homo Incredulus: i broke my glasses and i have trouble reading today
Ā Homo Hopelus: š®
Ā Ā what happened to the lenses?
Ā Homo Incredulus: ditched them!
Ā Homo Hopelus: š
Ā Homo Incredulus: you mentioned that if you are called upon to speak the truth to incriminate
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā someone then you will
Ā Homo Hopelus: or incriminate myself, then yes
Ā Homo Incredulus: isnt is possible that if you lie about it, that “someone” may atone for his mistakes
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā or whatever he has done and in the end might actually have a shot at being a
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā better human being?
Homo Hopelus: valid question
Homo Incredulus: there could be circumstances surrounding the mistake done by that man and
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā maybe our society would have driven that man to do that mistake in the first place
Ā Homo Hopelus: but do I have the wisdom to realise that he will atone
Ā Ā Ā or that it is for him to atone
Ā Ā Ā ?
Ā Homo Incredulus: maybe not
Ā Homo Hopelus: exactly
Ā Homo Incredulus: but maybe you do
Ā Homo Hopelus: in the absence of concrete information, honesty is surest vine to cling to
Ā Homo Incredulus: hmm…
Ā Homo Hopelus: but as always, there will be times when the mind/soul would guide one’s tongue
Ā Ā differently nothing is written on stone as to how a man should live…
Ā Ā š
Ā Homo Incredulus: nope
Like A Feather... 
Delightful!…As to honesty, there is no point in speaking about what is not known visavis being honest. Always someone or the other is honest or not, against the framework of what he knows and not against what he doesn’t. And so is my judgement or conclusion regarding a second person’s honesty or lack thereof – I judge given my ignorance, my prejudices, my bigotry or my light or kindness etc etc. After all, human beings are what they are – always incomplete and hence always capable of givin ample room for error.But honesty can be measured with respect to oneself, as to whether one is and speaks what one knows as truth, and again fearlessly speak the opposite in case one realises that one’s prior honesty and knowledge on which the honesty were flawed.Always open, always fearless, always honest, always right – but obviously within the limitations or boundlessness of my own personality and being.What more can one do or be?
Dear P,I agree that absolute honesty is difficult to measure as the instrument for measuring itself may be inaccurate but there is an honesty which (even if borne on ignorance) presents itself in all its substance without an intention of mis-representing events or in twisting interpretations and I think that is all that we can use to measure honesty.