By on 18-12-2009 at 05:12
Team: Zeesy
Total Honesty is about understanding that communicating our judgements can be a means to build, not destroy.
The gap between PERCEPTION and REALITY presents both an opportunity and a catastrophy. The degree to which you are willing to communicate with a person is the degree to which you are willing to include them. All problems in human society, if not directly caused by poor communication, are aggrivated by it.
We can’t stop ourselves from passing judgments, but we can at least try to understand why we came to those conclusions in the first place.
Total Honesty began as an offer of total honesty in exchange for a token amount of money. In its current incarnation, the exchange of money has been replaced with the accountability of an audience. As difficult as it is to face total honesty from a stranger, friend or acquaintance, it is even more difficult to face your own judgments, and attempt to express them to the judged. In front of an audience, guests volunteer to come on stage in a daytime talk-show setting and have the “host” tell the exactly what s/he thinks of them. “Bullshit Detectors” are invited to challenge the host on her/his perceptions of the guest, providing alternative viewpoints on the impressions. Both speaker and listener are forced to confront their perceptions with the reality presented by others. Through this, some kind of honesty can be found.
Total Honesty is about understanding that communicating our judgements can be a means to build, not destroy.
The gap between PERCEPTION and REALITY presents both an opportunity and a catastrophy. The degree to which you are willing to communicate with a person is the degree to which you are willing to include them. All problems in human society, if not directly caused by poor communication, are aggrivated by it.
We can’t stop ourselves from passing judgments, but we can at least try to understand why we came to those conclusions in the first place.
Total Honesty began as an offer of total honesty in exchange for a token amount of money. In its current incarnation, the exchange of money has been replaced with the accountability of an audience. As difficult as it is to face total honesty from a stranger, friend or acquaintance, it is even more difficult to face your own judgments, and attempt to express them to the judged. In front of an audience, guests volunteer to come on stage in a daytime talk-show setting and have the “host” tell the exactly what s/he thinks of them. “Bullshit Detectors” are invited to challenge the host on her/his perceptions of the guest, providing alternative viewpoints on the impressions. Both speaker and listener are forced to confront their perceptions with the reality presented by others. Through this, some kind of honesty can be found.
One Response to “Total Honesty”
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Do you think that total honesty can actually function in society. For example, is not saying anything sometimes dishonest. And I am not talking about witnessing horrendous crimes or abuses, and not stepping forward. I mean in an everyday kind of way. For example in work, if you know that someone has not done what they are supposed to, and they are pretending that they are (and getting away with it) should you expose them?
How would that effect team dynamics?
Your point on communication is very good. I watched an interview with a Polish ex-politician, and he was discussing how he instrumented the change from a state run economic situation to a free market system. He made very similar points to you (about avoiding unnecessary agitation).