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Stephanie Davis

Stephanie started an illegal newspaper at her middle school called The Underground—which was printed on copy paper stapled together—thus beginning her foray into the world of publishing. She went on to be editor of her high school newspaper, worked at The Red and Black (UGA's esteemed newspaper)...

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Brutally honest

Liar liar pants on fire!

I am a sugar coater of the Nth degree. A little-white-liar extraordinaire.

I would much rather tell you that my dog is sick (I don’t have a dog) than just tell you I’d prefer to lay on my couch tonight than attend your event. If I feel like your dress makes you look chubby, I’ll say you look “Gorgeous!”  If I have to leave your party early to catch an episode of Million Dollar Listing, I will say hi and then slink out the back way.

I can’t help it. I like the easy way out.

That’s why when my friend Cynthia posted an Esquire article called “I Think You’re Fat” to her Facebook page, I had to read it. It was about a movement called Radical Honesty.

This is what the article said:
“The movement was founded by a sixty-six-year-old Virginia-based psychotherapist named Brad Blanton. He says everybody would be happier if we just stopped lying. Tell the truth, all the time. This would be radical enough -- a world without fibs -- but Blanton goes further. He says we should toss out the filters between our brains and our mouths. If you think it, say it. Confess to your boss your secret plans to start your own company. If you're having fantasies about your wife's sister, Blanton says to tell your wife and tell her sister. It's the only path to authentic relationships. It's the only way to smash through modernity's soul-deadening alienation. Oversharing? No such thing.” Click here for the rest of the HYSTERICAL article by A.J. Jacobs.

 Telling the truth is the ultiimate risk. I’ve found that people don’t like the truth. When I told my close friend who was “on a break” from her long time boyfriend that he probably wasn’t coming back, she shouldn’t wait on him and he’s a jerk for doing this to her, she started crying. I felt like such a b*tch. It reinforced my decision to stay out of people’s personal relationships. But it further emboldened me that most folks don’t want to hear the truth.

So I thought, what would I say if I was to be truly honest. How would I behave?

I’d tell my Dad that he needs to leave me a voice message instead of just calling me over and over until he gets me.

I’d tell my interns that sometimes coming up with work for them to do is super annoying.

I’d tell my boyfriend that I hate Gwar and Ween and all the dumb bands he makes me listen to.

...Wait! Stop. I already tell them all these things. It’s still too hard to write down all the things I’d REALLY say if I wasn’t going to lie. I suck at not lying.  I am editing myself because I know that everyone will read this and have opinions on it. Oh well. I give props to those who can be brutally honest. For me, I don’t think I’m ready to give up my sinister ways just yet.

Anyone brave enough to say what they lie about?