There is a possibility that this is one of those times when you need to ask him if he’s being honest.
To be honest is to be real. Everything else is fiction, which is fine in a novel but not so attractive in a friend or a politician.
One might argue that each of us have a different perspective on reality. You might think the day has been a good one when your companion might see it as less so or even miserable. My report cards from school, for me, seem to indicate I was doing OK. My mother didn’t agree. Even witness statements in court are considered arguable and questionable depending on which witness is asked. The ancients saw the sun going around the earth. We now know different. I’ve heard from varying sources that a god is looking down on us, and he’ll is a place for sinners. My wife sees my shed as a mess. I see it as a creative heaven. If reality was consistent for all of us we wouldn’t have differing points of view. Like you and I?
i have time and thoughts at hand, Lulu. A dangerous combination for a person with internet access. So many people to hear from, so many comments to reflect on. It’s a juggling skill I learned as a teacher. Every one talks at once, often over the top of others, without reflection, without due process. I picture myself in front of a class of 16 year olds or 30 years old budding photographers or physicists. I cant answer them all so I pick a person who seems like they might be attentive and accepting of a difference of opinion. I don’t really care much if they take note of what I say. It’s more a test of my own thought processes. The first thought that comes to mind with any comment is: “what’s an alternative point of view they haven’t yet noticed?” Then if they have taken it away and given some time to it I have succeeded. My goal in life is to challenge people to think in a dynamic and multi layered manner. Be liberal with your thoughts. Expose yourself to alternatives and question your own thoughts and beliefs. All we have is our brain. The rest is perception.
Having an opinion doesn’t make the opinion honest. If we divulge our opinion we are not stating a fact; only that which we believe is true. That’s not honesty, that’s openness to admission. Being honest or truthful states what we know to be true. That still doesn’t make the statement correct or accurate. It might be wrong yet the person believes it to be right. In other worlds it’s not real. The greatest contradiction in any argument is : “ To be really honest, in my opinion…….” In most cases of dealing with truth we confuse the issue with the language we use, not the essence of what we said.
Often I’d find myself talking to a room of teens on something I would consider important and realise I was as interesting as a paint scraping on the wall. “Is anyone listening?” I’d call out. Silence. Then a lonely voice would call back: “ Did you call, Mr. D? I didn’t see you come in”. Ah. The pleasures of talking to the already converted.
Reading your first post, they must have been a little perverted too. Now that song is in my head again!