The Best Policy

I am pretty sure all things are better when they are honest. Pretty much any form of creativity... Art. Music. Dance. Theater. Writing. Humor. Think about it. I know all my favorite comedians are the ones who you listen to and then turn to your friends and say, "That is so true!" Take Dane Cook for example. His funniest jokes are funny because they are true. People really are obsessed with car accidents. And when a guy sneaks up behind you to dance with you at a bar you really do look at your friends for indications of his appearance.

The same thing goes for dance routines. The best ones are the ones in which the dancers and choreographers make you truly believe the story of the piece. Otherwise its just a bunch of connected movements that mean nothing except that the person is technically trained. Boring and bland if you ask me.

Movies too are best when honest. The movies that move me the most are the ones where you see the characters going through whatever their personal struggle is. Everyone is not okay all of the time, and in movies like Garden State, or Into the Wild, you get to see first hand and experience the characters' personal battles.

Its the same deal when it comes to relationships, be it a friendship or romantic relationship. I don't know about everyone else, but I say cut through all the bulls**t and give me the truth. I can handle it. I like to believe my true friends are completely honest with me. I mentioned this once already but a good example of this is the other day when I turned to Holly and asked how my bangs looked. Instead of lying, she said, "No comment." I find this type of honestly hilarious and refreshing. I would have felt cheated if she had said in a sugary sweet voice, "Oh, they look super!" I would have probably seen through her crap anyways, so its best to just be straight with me. I can handle it. I swear.

I realize this claim could be debated and that everyone might not agree. Ignorance could be bliss, you might say. But to that I'd say what about when something slips and someones finds out they've been being lied to? That is a terrible feeling. Feeling betrayed, like you'd been kept in the dark unnecessarily. People assuming you weren't strong enough to handle the truth. Bah! I say, I can handle anything okay? So bring it on...

Finally, it is exceedingly important to be honest about where you are. If you aren't honest about that, how are you ever going to be aware if you need to change. This doesn't mean you have to be honest with everyone about whats going on with you, but at the very least you should be honest with yourself. Even if it makes you feel a bit dysfunctional. It happens to the best of us, so don't fret.

It seems that my new favorite philosopher Henry David would agree with me, as he has said:

"Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth." - Henry David Thoreau

At first glance, I wasn't sure if I agreed with this quote. I mean, I'd give up money and fame is exchange for truth, but not love. But then I rethought this. I would probably take truth over love, because love without truth isn't worth much anyway.

I suppose this blog is my best attempt at a honest portrayal of myself. I'm not claiming that it is a great creative masterpiece or anything like that, but at least its better than if I wasn't honest; say, if I just wrote things that I thought would make people like me. And honestly, its easier this way, that is, to be myself. At least those who stick around will know the true me, and not some pseudo version. And who knows, maybe reading this will one day give someone some type of insight into their own honesty. I honestly don't know... but maybe.