Why Brutal Honesty Isn't What It's Cracked Up To Be

Have you ever had someone be really mean to you and then disguised their remark under the tag of 'brutal honesty?' Well, most of us have.

When dealing with a self-proclaimed brutally honest person, the ordeal goes something like, this: "I don't mean to offend you but (insert something nasty)..." or "Let me be brutally honest (insert something hurtful)...." And the receiver is just left hurting.

So is honesty supposed to hurt?

The Truth can hurt, that's obvious. But in the case of people who are brutally honest, they tend to enjoy the brutality more than the honesty. Here's why we need need to stop putting up with these brutally honest people because they are real ass****s hiding behind the mask of honesty.

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Most brutally honest people will say, "I'm just being honest!"

That's wrong. You are just being brutal. You are not being honest, compassionate, considerate, thoughtful, loving or even polite.

No one is denying the fact that sometimes an unpleasant truth needs to be delivered, and this brutally honest person could also be one of those 'I hate beating around the bush' kind. But history and even those witnessing such rude 'honesty' this very moment will attest to the fact that most of the time, brutal honesty is unkind, unwarranted and lacking simple decency.

And this is what fascinates me, how we never hear people who 'tell it like it is' complimenting others.

Seriously, people who pride themselves on being brutally honest or those speaking what's on their mind unfiltered, should statistically be throwing out compliments to their friends and strangers on a random basis. Unless of course, being brutally honest is just a shield for a brutal, low-life person.

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The problem is that these brutally honest people assume their opinion to be truth and therefore stating the so-called truth is them being honest. It's not. It¡¯s being judgmental.

What these people who hate buttering someone up need to realise is that a little thought put into the delivery of the truth in question has the power to go a long way towards making it valuable, and constructive feedback rather than a shattering blow can never be forgotten.

It's important to know that being honest has nothing to do with being angry, hurtful or mean. When people are honest, it has more to do with being clear, specific and sincere. And you will now, thanks to me, be able to tell he difference. Feel free to ignore what the 'honest' person in your life has to say, it's coming with the intent of causing damage and not to bring about any real change.