The principles and values I find most important in life are trust and sincerity. I believe that whatever you do in life, you have to stand up for it. Otherwise, how can anyone know who you are? How can you yourself remember who you are, if you are caught up in a web of lies?
Of course such extreme views need to be qualified. Not all people in the world are safe if they "come out", be it in terms of their sexuality, political views, religion or other. Think of Pakistani 14-year old Malala Yousufzai, who is fighting for her life after being wounded by Taliban for her attempt to publicly stand for what she believes in. And life is not always black and white: one's own views, thoughts and desired may be contradictory, subject to change, or unclear. There may, in other words, be reasons to "lie", be they circumstantial (e.g. threats to safety) or subconscious (one simply isn't aware what is "true").
It requires courage and strength to remain honest in many situations. One can see this with one's children. It doesn't come easy for them to admit to having done something that they know is wrong.
But at the end of the day, I believe that lies are a trap. One gets caught in them sooner or later. Be it in private life, at work, or elsewhere. Is it worth it to take the risk to undermine other people's trust in you? People are forgiving creatures, but trust is a very frail construct. I personally believe that once it breaks, it is very difficult to mend.
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