How Important is the Truth?

How Important is the Truth?

In general, or to you personally. I'd prefer in general and an attempt to keep as objective as possible. But I see the difficulties in this. Keep all discussion here, at least, as honest as possible. Is it ever right to tell a lie? Why/why not? Is the truth more important than happiness or is it necessary for happiness?

Your thoughts.

It depends on your definition of "lie". Sometimes it's better to omit information. Example: Your friend had an awful week, got dumped, had his/her Snake highscore beaten, got bad grades in a test, missed shark week, etc. etc. Would you rather upset him/her by telling about the death of his/her hamster or would you wait until he/she's feeling better?

Happiness is probably our ultimate goal, to be glad of what you do and how.
Maybe the truth is nothing but a mere factor that shapes the way how you will achieve happiness.

My conclusion is that as long as you can be happy, truth must be shaped with your own desire (or left intact, if you're still happy)

But then, what is happiness if guilt might exist from your lies? But that's impossible:

In every case, happiness will come from either truth or lies, if you choose lies, and you feel guilty, it is because the right path was actually to tell the truth. If you choose truth, and you feel bad, it is because the right path was actually to lie. Because there's no true happiness with guilt. that doesn't exist, does it?

So I stand solid with my conclusion and I say that as long as you're happy, shape the truth, either by leaving it intact or lying. Happiness is what counts.

But that is purely theory, I don't recall a very critical situation where my decisions had a big impact, so my apologies there

For me, telling the truth is the best option because how long will the truth be hidden? It will be unearthed one day or the other. True sometimes telling a lie may get you out of trouble or lighten up someone's day but when he'll\she'll get to know that what you told him\her was a lie, he\she will be sad for the truth will have a bigger impact on him\her. That's just my personal thoughts, so no offense to anyone but I'd say that truth should be told instead of telling a lie.

All valid and well thought-out posts. Thanks

I agree with Vecto and Omegas in that happiness is very important, if not the most important thing. However I have a number of disorganised thoughts against that. The first is that without sadness, happiness is meaningless. But obviously sadness would occur whether someone has only truths to him or not. So I dunno about that. I was thinking about a hypothetical situation like the matrix, but most of the lies you've used as examples aren't as important as a whole world being fake. So it obviosuly also depends on the gravity of the lie as well. For example saying "no, you're bum does NOT look big in that dress" when it's not the case is not going to harm anyone, as it's a subjective truth. Which brings me on to my final point which is that objective truths are rare.
Even if someone else tells the lovely lady that her bum DOES look big, it doesn't mean necessarily that you were lying, because people have different opinions on the meanings of words.

Personally, I try to be as honest as possible when it matters (irl at least) because I know that the person will suffer unhappiness at some other stage in their life, and so even if the truth hurts, it will ready them for more/worse pain.
For example, I would never lie to a child, even if it was a white lie like "yes, we're almost there". Because a) I don't like dishonesty as a trait, and when the child finds out I lied, they might become dishonest. b) it may make them feel better in the short run, but it won't in the long run (they'll still walk/be in the car/etc. just as far) and c) because I think that reality is the best place to be.
Reality is all we know. The "truth" is us trying to be as realistic as possible. I'd prefer to live in reality than somewhere better that I knew was a lie.