RE: Question about life: Does being Honest and Just Pay off in the end?

Not always. Acts of honesty dont always go unnoticed. While the punishments of dishonesty are more obvious than the rewards of honesty, it doesnt always mean they are unequal.

Yes, it always pays off in the end. Even if you get away with your dishonesty your entire life, ultimately you will be harshly judged.

If you are deep down an honest person and cheat, say at a business deal, you will be unable to look yourself in the mirror, and be unable to sleep at night. It is not worth it.

Well if you don't get caught, cheating and dishonesty help alot! High functioning sociopaths (in business environments)often become quite wealthy and powerful. But of course getting caught often hurts. Some of those same people decide that stealing 1 million dollars a year is not enough and decide to steal 20 million. Then they end up in jail.

No one is going to give you a prize for honesty. It's more a lack of adverse consequences that come from anti social behaviors.

honesty is appropriate if and when it is compatible with both common decency and self-interest, and sometimes when compatible with only one of them.

Common decency and self-interest are inborn traits that develop naturally and are not taught. This sets them apart from morals and behavioral rules which are cheap substitutes for people whose natural traits are stunted. As long as you're in touch with your own nature, you can accurately judge when honesty is to your benefit. If you turn it into a morals issue instead, you'll just be guessing.

OP, this is a good question.

Of course we all know that money and power do not always bring happiness. In fact, they rarely do.

Think of it this way: If you line up in Boston and cheat your way to first place, will you truly value the victory? No, you likely will not. Business is really no different. I have been rather successful in the business world and I am still bothered by poor decisions I have made in the past. Nothing illegal or even unethical, but things where I could have put a person over a profit and did not. Looking back, I wish I had.

I firmly believe that people know when someone is honest and just. Look around at your peers. Don't you know who is trustworthy and who is not? I think you do.

We all make decisions; make the right ones and you'll be rewarded.

One trick I practice is waking up every morning and reminding myself to act in a way that will make people want to attend my funeral. The truth is that I do not care if I even have a funeral, but this ensures that I treat people well and make ethical decisions. It helps me sleep better at night. It also helps me have more patience with my kids.

Can someone explain how you can be dishonest in business, without doing something illegal, and actually benefit long-term?

I'm sure anybody can find a sucker or two but it is not a long term (or large) deal. I'm also sure that many people flat out steal and don't get prosecuted.

But it is 2014, every possible lie has been told by ad agencies and frauds. No contractor has a scam that hasn't been done before. The web just provides to much information and most dishonest things are illegal.

The rewards and benefits of being honest and just are internal and intrinsic.

What do we mean here? Are we for one to be placed the judgments on ourselves? The question of honesty is hard to answer; after all, you have to be truthful first to answer it correctly. I think it pays to be honest, but you never know I had a friend who was a cheat and he got caught, but he always got away with it. That shouldn't make you run from being honest. But yes, being honest with yourself is important. No one else will do it for you.

/thread.

What's your definition of "Pay Off"?

If it's religious based, then yes, being honest and just will always pay off.

If it's financial based, it's probably some ratio of whatever field you're in. Being honest and just may not get you as far ahead as someone willing to play the edges, but you certainly wouldn't have to worry about setbacks from being caught. You could see small gains because of your good ways through customer loyalty and such. Lot's of different scenarios out there.

If it's personal satisfaction based, I'd think being honest and just would lead to greater satisfaction in life than cheating your way ahead.

Good topic.

What end?

You die in the end.

Life has rewarded my honest living with many sweet farts to smell.

Yes, honesty very much pays off in the end. You can fool others for a little while, but you can never fool reality even for a second. People who say that you have to lie and cheat to get ahead want to vilify the successful for emotional reasons.