He who dares not offend cannot be honest.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Honesty requires the courage to offend when necessary. Avoiding offense compromises truthfulness.
- In plain terms
- To be honest, you must be willing to offend.
- What can you take from it?
- Be willing to offend to remain honest.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is honesty too harsh?
- What matters more: truth or comfort?
Another view
Some honesty can be cruel without purpose.
More from Thomas Paine
Christianity is the strangest religion ever set up, for it committed a murder upon Jesus in order to redeem mankind from the sin of eating an apple.
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