Sadly enough, honest people are becoming an endangered species in our world. Still, these quotes about truth remind us that honesty is a timeless value and we should cultivate it.

How many times have you encountered lies and hypocrisy in your life? I’m sure you could recall at least a few dishonest people and most probably, you are still dealing with these kinds of characters.

Wouldn’t life be easier if we only told the truth to each other? But unfortunately, it’s not possible. Social norms, etiquette, and the unwritten rules of human behavior wouldn’t allow that. Some things are considered rude, even if they are nothing but the truth.

Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not suggesting we should be mean to each other. All I’m saying is that being nice to someone has real value only when it’s genuine. Too many people fake their nice attitude for personal gain. Many do it out of habit – simply because it is considered normal to say pleasantries, even when you don’t mean them.

With all these unwritten norms of social behavior, blunt people who are not afraid to speak the raw truth are not favored in our society. They are mistaken for being rude, mean, and arrogant. But the truth is that these people are the most real of all, even if they sometimes say uncomfortable things.

Here are a few quotes about truth and honesty that show how important it is to be sincere:

If you tell the truth

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.

~ Mark Twain

The truth is like a lion

The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself.

~ Augustine of Hippo

Most people don't really want the truth

Most people don’t really want the truth. They just want constant reassurance that what they believe in is the truth.

~ Unknown

The short term pain of accepting a truth is much better

The short term pain of accepting a truth is much better than the long term pain of believing an illusion.

~ Lilka

I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can

I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can, and to the utmost of my power, I exhort all other men to do the same. I exhort you also to take part in the great combat, which is the combat of life, and greater than every other earthly conflict.

~ Socrates

Three things cannot be long hidden

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

~ Buddha

If you want to tell people the truth



If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.

~ Oscar Wilde

i respect people who tell me the truth

I respect people who tell me truth, no matter how hard it is.

~ Unknown

The truth is the truth, even if no one believes it. A lie is a lie, even if everyone believes it

The truth is the truth, even if no one believes it. A lie is a lie, even if everyone believes it.

~ Unknown

584-Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth

Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you. Never apologize for being correct, or for being years ahead of your time. If you’re right and you know it, speak your mind. Speak your mind. Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Just be honest with me

Just be honest with me or stay away from me. It’s not that difficult.

~ Unknown

As I have said, the first this is to be honest with yourself

As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself…great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humanity.

~ Nelson Mandela

growing up means being honest

I’ve found that growing up means being honest. About what I want. What I need. What I feel. Who I am.

~ Epiphany

I'm sorry if you don't like my honesty, but to be fair, I don't like your lies

I’m sorry if you don’t like my honesty, but to be fair, I don’t like your lies.

~ Unknown

Fake people have an image to maintain, real people just don't care

Fake people have an image to maintain, real people just don’t care.

~ Hikigaya Hachiman

The truth is powerful, even when it’s uncomfortable

As you can see from the above quotes about truth, being honest carries the power very few people can handle. Most people prefer to live in a world of illusions, unrealistic expectations, and false beliefs imposed by social conditioning.

When someone with a blunt personality breaks these illusions for them, they usually blame this person for speaking the truth. It’s ironic but understandable. People don’t like to get disappointed, and not everyone is strong enough to accept the hard truths.

The lie is handy – you can say whatever better works for you. The truth is not for everyone because you can’t distort it so that it suits your goals or motives. Maybe it’s much easier to say fake niceties or to conceal your opinions in order to appear more likable to others, but only those people who are not shying away from the truth are genuinely powerful and charismatic.

What other quotes about truth and honesty do you know? Feel free to share them with us!

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