To Tell the Truth

This is an an old article, but like fine wine and good cheesecake, it has aged well. A.J. Jacobs of A.J. Jacobs fame tries out Dr. Brad Blanton's concept of "Radical Honesty."

Radical Honesty, for those of you not up on your pscychobabble, is an attempt to tell the truth and nothing but. No whoppers, no fibs, not even the littlest white lies. Your friend bugging you? Tell them about it! Upset with your spouse? Tell them about it! Police asking if you know anything about the seven mutilated corpses buried in your backyard? Tell them about it!

As you might guess, the results aren't pretty. The truth hurts, especially when it's delivered like this:

I have a business breakfast with an editor from Rachael Ray's magazine. As we're sitting together, I tell her that I remember what she wore the first time we met -- a black shirt that revealed her shoulders in a provocative way. I say that I'd try to sleep with her if I were single. I confess to her that I just attempted (unsuccessfully) to look down her shirt during breakfast.

Yeesh. I think a little selective truth might be in order. Just because you lust after someone doesn't mean you're obliged to tell them about it. Or does it? Am I being dishonest if I don't call everyone I ever had a crush on and confess the truth? Maybe I should do that. Sounds like a fun way to spend an evening. Now, if I can just find their phone numbers...

Hey, I already feel more liberated! Maybe this Radical Honesty thing has something going for it. Let me get a few things off my chest:

-I have yet to return my freshman roommate's copy of "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich"

-I sometimes pretend to have read a book, when in reality I only skimmed the Wikipedia summary

-Sometimes, I pretend to be happy, but in reality, I am not

-Sometimes I do things, but I do not want to do them

Whew! How's that for some bracing honesty. Look out, world! Here comes a new Will Schultz. A more honest Will Schultz. A Will Schultz who isn't afraid to admit he cried watching "Babe II: Pig in the City"!