Out of the Bloo

"No coward soul is mine
No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere
I see Heaven's glories shine
And Faith shines equal arming me from Fear

0 God within my breast
Almighty ever-present Deity
Life, that in me hast rest
As I Undying Life, have power in Thee!"

- Emily Bronte, No Coward Soul is Mine (her last poem)

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Random question, but it's on my mind

Posted by Bill @ 6:46 am CDT
Filed under: Random Thoughts

Do people who start almost every sentence with "To be honest . . ." or "Let me be honest with you . . ." make you nervous?

12 comments

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Comments on "Random question, but it's on my mind":

1. Jared - 07/26/2006 7:51 am CDT

No. Maybe it would in a work-world environment. But when I hear "to be honest" prefacing someone's statement, I find it refreshing to some extent. It sort creates a positive anticipation for me that the person is about to be real with me. And people who are real me likey.

But I could totally see being in an environment, work or anywhere, where the use of those prefatory phrases signals criticism or is meant to imply license to be rude or inconsiderate.

2. Bill - 07/26/2006 8:18 am CDT

It's not so much that. This is just a nervous tick someone I work with has. Said almost before every statement

To be honest :-), when I hear the phrase "to be honest" my first thought is "what, does that mean you've been lying up to this point?"

(of course, I say it too)

3. Scott - 07/26/2006 9:34 am CDT

I gotta go with Bill on this one.

4. Ellen - 07/26/2006 10:34 am CDT

That and "No offense, but..."

Uh...your "simple human check question" - I must be a "really simple human." The question is: The Atlantic and the Pacific and both what?"

My first thought: Avenues. Guess I've been playing too much Monopoly.

5. blestwithsons - 07/26/2006 12:26 pm CDT

If it's almost every sentence - it most certainly would make me nervous.

But I do say it once in a while - not to indicate a change from dishonesty to honesty - but to indicate a change from reservation to full disclosure.

6. Jared - 07/26/2006 12:28 pm CDT

The way you describe it being done, I don't think it'd make me nervous so much as irritated. That's one ridiculous verbal tic.
Reminds me of people who use "literally" literally, like, every time they speak. And use it incorrectly, of course.

7. Milly - 07/26/2006 2:40 pm CDT

Honestly? Sometimes it honestly does. I say it myself. Bad habit.

8. Molly - 07/26/2006 11:33 pm CDT

Definitely!

when I hear the phrase "to be honest" my first thought is "what, does that mean you've been lying up to this point?"

That's pretty much what goes through my mind in those instances.

Oh, and side note, in the "Simple Human Check Question", I totally almost put "rain" when it asked "When it rains, what falls from the sky?"

9. Bill - 07/27/2006 6:23 am CDT

Well, "rain" would have worked too :-)

10. Jared - 07/27/2006 7:11 am CDT

I almost put "rain" also!
To be honest with you, it's good to know you've got us literalists covered, Bill.

11. Milton Stanley - 07/27/2006 10:19 am CDT

Yes it does. I think maybe they have a habit of lying otherwise. And maybe they're psychopathic enough not to realize what they're revealing.

12. Bethany - 07/30/2006 4:37 pm CDT

well yess i agree with you dad. that its like "have they been lying to me up to this point?

but no one really says it to me. so. yeahh.

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