How do you know when someone is being genuine versus performing honesty?

Question

I know someone who makes a big show of being brutally honest and priding themselves on telling the truth. But something feels off about it. Sometimes their honesty seems more about making themselves feel superior than actually being helpful. How do you tell real honesty from performed honesty?

benjamin_taylor · Accepted Answer

Real honesty is in service of the relationship or the other person. Performed honesty is in service of the speaker's self-image. Ask who benefits from the disclosure. If it is primarily the person speaking, it is probably performance.

mia_sinclair · Answer

Genuine honest people are also honest about their own flaws and uncertainties. People who perform honesty tend to use it selectively, applying it to others more than themselves.

How do you know when someone is being genuine versus performing honesty?

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How do you know when someone is being genuine versus performing honesty?

2 answers Most votes Newest Oldest

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2 answers
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