Can you go 24-hours without saying anything unkind about anybody?

CPT Jack Durish — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:07:44 -0400

I have been extremely critical of American voters for electing and reelecting candidates who appear to be undermining individual liberty in exchange for safety nets, the illusion of fairness, and other utopian ideals. In other words candidates who violate their oaths of office to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. I attempt to dissuade We the People from this practice with utterances that are often seen as hurtful by those whose ideology I am attacking. Just now I found this challenge in a lecture delivered on the website Prager University and wondered, "Could I go 24-hours without attacking the ideologues who appear to me as enemies of all that I hold dear"? Then I began to wonder, "Why should I"? What do you think?

https://www.prageru.com/courses/life-studies/honesty-always-best-policy

Is Honesty Always the Best Policy?

Telling the truth is usually right. But can it also sometimes be wrong? If so, when? And why? Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, a bestselling author and renowned scholar, explains when honesty isn't the best policy.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 12 at 2015 4:08 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:08:48 -0400

Yes I can; but, some days it is much more difficult CPT Jack Durish.
That being said I can not go an hour without having an unkind thought pop into my head. I have learned to think before speaking which I something I hope many candidates for office work on :-)

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Oct 12 at 2015 4:17 PM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:17:35 -0400

CPT Jack Durish I am far too sarcastic to not say anything negative to someone for a whole day. Even when I try to be nice, inevitably I will run into someone during the course of the day that makes me hope they don't reproduce.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Oct 12 at 2015 4:25 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:25:38 -0400

Yes. It's A LOT harder not to be snarky though. I generally don't speak ill of people (we all have bad days). However, I will mock situations and show quite a bit of contempt to organizations, as I consider them fair game.

Response by COL Jean (John) F. B. made Oct 12 at 2015 4:28 PM

COL Jean (John) F. B. — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:28:26 -0400

CPT Jack Durish - Although I think the definition of "unkind" is in the eye of the beholder, it would be difficult for me to go 24 hours without saying something that would be considered unkind to someone, unless I simply said nothing; and to do that, I'd have to be locked in a room by myself for the 24 hours.

In today's liberal PC world (there, I was just unkind to some folks), just about anything one says is offensive to someone. Therefore, if no matter what I say is going to be offensive, I just don't worry about it and say what I want to. I don't purposely try to offend people (as a rule, anyway), but I am not overly concerned if what I say does offend someone.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Oct 12 at 2015 4:32 PM

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:32:13 -0400

"Can you go 24-hours without saying anything unkind about anybody?"

No .. But I may give up saying "unkind things" about anybody next Lent. How's that?? ..

Response by LTC Ed Ross made Oct 12 at 2015 4:33 PM

LTC Ed Ross — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:33:58 -0400

Only if I don't watch television.

Response by SFC Wade W. made Oct 12 at 2015 4:40 PM

SFC Wade W. — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:40:11 -0400

I don't think that healthy honesty is speaking bad about someone. I think that I am much like you in today's political arena and am also fed up with people who work against our government as imagined by our founders. If people like us do not attempt to educate and therefore possibly hurt people's feelings how will we get people to vote as an informed person rather than voting for the feel good candidate?

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Oct 12 at 2015 4:45 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:45:00 -0400

I remember what my mother said if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all

Response by SMSgt Tony Barnes made Oct 12 at 2015 4:48 PM

SMSgt Tony Barnes — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:48:51 -0400

What kind of dumb question is that? :-)

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Oct 12 at 2015 7:16 PM

COL Jon Thompson — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 19:16:34 -0400

What I have been working on personally is to be more reasoned in my answers so that even if people disagree with me, it is not because of the emotions. That does require me to not answer right away and sometimes I cannot even find the original post when I go back to type my completely logical answer. I doubt that anyone's mind has ever been changed because of what someone else wrote in opposition but for me, it is an exercise in logical thought, making me think about why I believe what I do and how can I articulate that.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2015 7:34 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 07:34:00 -0400

there is no "kind" and "unkind". only the truth :). It is their emotional status that label my "words" as kind and unkind.

Response by 1LT Aaron Barr made Oct 14 at 2015 2:26 PM

1LT Aaron Barr — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 14:26:44 -0400

Sure, provided I'm in a coma during those 24 hours....