From the Latin sinceritas , sincerity is the way of expressing oneself without lies or pretense . The term is associated with truthfulness and simplicity .
For example: "Sincerity is a highly appreciated value in this company" , "The player once again showed his sincerity and recognized that he is playing below his level" , "If you had spoken sincerely, your partner would not have left»
Sincerity and truth
Sincerity implies respect for the truth (what is said in accordance with what one thinks and feels). Who is sincere, tells the truth. However, practice makes this concept a difficult goal to achieve, given the numerous structures to which we submit.
Due to unfortunate issues of life in society, it is not always easy to be honest with our loved ones, with the people who have raised us, with our closest friends; When we convey the need to share our true ideas with employers and governments, the possibilities decrease considerably.
If we observe the behavior of the rest of the animals, both in their natural habitats and in coexistence with individuals of our species, we notice that sincerity is one of their most outstanding virtues, to the point where it does not seem so important, given that it is the basis of his actions. Although in the jungle and the forest there are also structures , customs and hierarchies, there seems to be no place for the obstacles that prevent many human beings from developing freely.
The importance of honesty
Why do we sometimes feel like we can't be honest with those around us? The root of the problem, perhaps, is that we always find answers to this question; "because my job is in danger", "because we don't have such a close relationship", "because no one has asked me for my true opinion ". When imagining a life in which we could always say everything we think, it is difficult to believe that the existence of stress, anguish, and frustration was necessary; since all these evils, so common in modern societies, arise from the lack of freedom with which we move.
The quality that consists of expressing oneself sincerely is known as honesty . The honest person respects the truth and establishes his relationships under this moral parameter. However, it is possible to deceive ourselves, to make ourselves believe that we are honest and sincere beings, despite being very far from displaying these virtues .
Generally, honesty is understood as a pure, direct way of being, without double intentions or twisted secrets. A person is usually described as honest when his way of interacting with others is very clear, when he keeps his promises and does not seem to have negative feelings towards those around him. In this sense, the concept receives certain connotations of kindness and generosity.
White lies and sincerity
There are situations that can lead a person to put aside sincerity, although without having the intention of lying. The so-called "white lies" are an example of this circumstance. Of course, the integrity or effectiveness of a lie of this type, also called white , can always be questioned; No matter how much we try to cover the essence of these types of statements, they still fail to be true and, therefore, show us to others in an imprecise way.
White lies are closely linked to the generally held conception of friendship ; It is not necessary to analyze it very carefully to notice the serious contradiction that occurs when uniting the purest and most intense type of relationship with a supposed need to not be sincere. How far can a white lie go? How can you trust a resource of this nature to nourish a sentimental bond between two living beings? The truth hurts; But doesn't it hurt more to discover that we have been deceived?