Keep It To Yourself Is The New Honesty
Look, I’m all for honesty. If you’ve got spinach in your teeth or your fly is down, I’ll let you know before you embarrass yourself.
But aren’t there times you should keep it to yourself?
You see, ome people take honesty way too far. Ever notice how folks love to say, “Don’t kill the messenger,” but they absolutely thrive on being the messenger of bad news?
Baloney, I say! If you’re gonna drop a truth bomb, you better be ready for some collateral damage.
A recent poll asked over 1,000 Americans what uncomfortable truths they’d tell a close friend. Turns out, 67% of us would inform a buddy if they stink. I get it—nobody wants to be trapped in an elevator with Eau de Gym Locker. But what about bad breath? Only 56% would say something. So, nearly half of us would rather just breathe through our mouths than help a friend out?
You know, you can just offer them the hint mint. As in “take the hint and suck on this mint.”
Haircuts got 50%. That’s a coin toss! One friend tells you, “Yeah, maybe stick to hats for a while,” while the other one just silently cringes every time you show up.
My advice? Say nothing. She’ll see the pictures and learn that way.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. Some 29% would tell a friend to lose weight. And I agree! That’s not a “fix it in the moment” situation. What’s the expected response? “Oh, thanks, let me just shed 15 pounds real quick.” Nope. Not happening.
Same with relationship drama. 74% would tell a friend they’re in a toxic relationship, but only 59% would break the news that their partner is cheating. So we’ll warn you about general toxicity, but specifics? Eh, you figure that out.
Also, 53% would call out a conspiracy theorist friend. Which means 1/2 of us are engaging with lunatics. That’s just wasteful.
Honestly, the most shocking one? 44% would tell a friend their cooking sucks. They are COOKING FOR YOU. Zip it and eat, you ingrate.
Moral of the story: If it’s fixable in the moment, say it. If it requires a life overhaul, maybe keep it to yourself.
And if you’re about to drop bad news and expect zero consequences? Well, good luck with that, messenger.
