Which really gets you further in life? Lie and cheat, or be always true and honest?

Question

Which really gets you further in life? Lie and cheat, or be always true and honest?

Answer 1

I believe in truth and honesty. However, if a friend was about to die if you said the truth, would you stick by your morals? There are times you need to lie, but they are few. Anyway, whats your belief in 'further in life'? Is it social? Is it finacal and work? Or is it family and friends? People say that 'I'd rather be hated for who I am, than to be liked for who I'm not'. But people always appreciate honesty, especially cross teachers when you've done something wrong!

Answer 2

I was told by a very good and close friend, a young lady that tried to make a pass at me and failed. She said "your to honest and I adore you for that, you would have more friends if you lied to them more, not big lies but, lies to make people more comfortable, little white lies"

    I've thought about it, "little white lies" to make people more comfortable"   "No, your nose isn't that big but, please step to the side a little, the shadow of it is blocking the sun" or "yes your nose is big, now that you've brought it up"

Answer 3

Well depends in some situations Lieing and cheating gets you farther, but then it can destroy everything you have lied and cheated for. So being true and honest would sometimes get you farthur, plus its the right thing to do in any situation.

Answer 4

Unfortunately people don't wanna hear the truth.

I don't lie or cheat but I don't always say the whole truth.

Answer 5

It depends on what you consider to be "further in life".  Some professions, politics for example, require that the participants "bend" the truth to obtain sucess at a high level.  At the opposite end of the spectrum, if one considers getting "further in life" to being true to one's self and friends, or attaining a higher spritual relationship with their god, being true and honest are key.

Answer 6

Maybe 60 years ago you could do OK with honesty and the truth.

Unfortunately, today, you'd do much better with lies and cheating. Just observe politics and televangelism for your proof.

Answer 7

First answer is good.  You don't have to do either.  Don't lie and cheat but don't ALWAYS tell the WHOLE truth.  The two are not mutually exclusive.

Short term gain - lie, cheat

Long term gain - honesty & integrity

Answer 8

That depends on what is your meaning of getting further ! In material sense, one can be better off accepting compromises which sometimes include lie or cheating, if you are strict to yourself, you will not accept such a compromise, you will always pursue your visions of truth and honesty, these may not always be the same as those  accepted by the others...it may happen that you won't be all that successful like some others, but you shall sleep with clear consciousness...

Answer 9

In the rat race even if you win, you're still a rat.

(its not worth sacrificing your dignity and self-esteem for a few measly dollars)

Answer 10

From what I've seen at work the lying, cheating, lazy,and backstabbing people get promoted over the hard workers.

If a hard worker gets promoted they lose a good worker.

If the others get promoted they still have hard workers.

Answer 11

Neither.  Always being truthful will definitely lead to trouble.  The white lie is an important way to deal with society.  Sometimes you just can't deal with another social event, for instance, and saying "I don't feel like it" is not a polite excuse.  Sometimes, you do need to lie.

Lying and cheating all the time isn't good, either.  It's easier to get away with that sort of nonsense in a large society like ours, but I'm a firm believer in enlightened self-interest.  Kind, good people do have a better time than aggressive, mean people.  That loud, b!tchy guy at the restaurant might get the free dinner he's insisting on, but it's you, the nice, friendly regular, who gets fast service, a nice chat, and always gets free coffee, you know?  It doesn't work 100%, because what does?  But I find that, usually, people figure out who the d!cks are and end up treating them accordingly.

Answer 12

Lie and cheat to get ahead in the short run.

Always be true and honest will get you ahead in the long run.