In a world driven by an undercurrent of codependency and an innate desire not to be "that guy", I find radical honesty to be a refreshing concept. For those of you that are unfamiliar with it, it's a movement started by Brad Blanton that encourages people to be completely honest in all relationships - both personally and professionally.
I've heard someone comment that lies make the world go round. And while that may true, I also think that perhaps we create extraordinary amounts of drama just because we're afraid to say how we really feel.
I'm definitely an advocate of direct communication but sadly, I find myself also falling victim to the demands of diplomacy. Telling the truth is scary, but it's also ridiculously liberating. The people closest to me have the best chances of knowing how I really feel and being able to truly express myself can be intoxicating. Everyone else is usually kept at arm's length and I play the political games that are both socially required and accepted.
What if I refused to do this? What if I popped the lid off of how I REALLY feel and suddenly became brazen about my feelings? I'm actually tempted to articulate some of the many things about which I've bitten my tongue in the last year, but fear it would be perceived as passive aggressive (see? there I go again).
I think there is a fine line between being radically honest and simply being an asshole. Blanton might argue that couching your feelings in diplomatic prettiness is just another way of avoiding honesty. I would have to heavily disagree as I think most peoples' ideas of radical honesty would trigger all kinds of defensiveness. It's important not to confuse radical honesty with constructive communication.
There's a part of me that admires those who are bold and go into the world filter-less. They were absent the day that diplomacy was handed out and they seem content to navigate the world without it. I can think of several situations in the last year where radical honesty might have saved everyone involved a lot of trouble. It certainly would have clarified things and everyone could have gone home knowing exactly where they stood. Then again, it might have made an ugly situation even uglier. Who knows.
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