It’s Time We Stop Lying
I found this post about American Idol. What I insist you do is watch the video (I’m too lazy to embed it myself). This comes perfectly after I wrote a post in which, towards the end I suggest there’s certain situations when it’s better to lie (and I’m not talking about lying to the cop as to whether you had a couple of drinks tonight or not).
Other than that I strongly believe it’s better to tell the truth, even if it might hurt someone’s feelings.
Let’s take it step by step.
If you watch the video I suggested, you will very easily understand that the girl (Mary Roach) emphisez a couple of times that one of the reasons she decided to participate was friends and family who convinced her she has a great voice and she would make a great singer. I’m ready to bet anyone that at least 80% of all the guys and girls who try their luck with American Idol are in the same position.
I doubt anyone would try and convince their friends they are good singers just to see them embarras themselves. Also don’t even try and tell me anyone can receive a alot of real positive feedback when that person is a really bad singer. That’s why my conclusion is that what we’re dealing with here is a large number of people who are being lied for the sake of not hurting their feelings.
As a matter of fact I have my own experiences with this. When I hear a song I like, I usually sing along with it. When I was a child my dad really thought I had a pretty good voice. My mother, on the other hand, would always tell me that I suck at it. Did it hurt the first time? You bet. However, I got used to it and I realized she was right when more and more people told me the same thing. Now you might judge them as just being jealous and not wanting to see me become a huge success. I did so at first. When I trully heard myself singing… Well, lets just say I was thankful to all of those who didn’t lie to me for the sake of my feelings.
But don’t you always hear yourself sing? You do. The problem is that the sound of your voice is not really the one you hear. To get a closer version of the real sound of your voice record yourself. Nowadays almost anyone has a digital camera. Most of them will allow you to record movies. Do that. Preferably record a short video of you singing and then listen to it. Ouch! What did I tell you? I suggest you slap the next person who tells you what a great voice you have and what a great singer you could be. 
Those of you who do indeed have a good voice you go ahead and take the necessary steps to become the next American idol. The other ones, just stop chasing windmills. If it’s not meant to be (because you don’t have what it takes) you’ll just waste your time.
However, this is not the topic we’re talking about here.
Getting back to it, ever since I realized what it means to not lie to people when you shouldn’t, I stopped doing it. My friends hate me for that sometimes, but every time they’re looking for an honest opinion, they come to me because they know they’ll get one (favorable or not). They know I’ll say it as it is, whether it hurts them or not. I’m not saying I don’t ever lie. If you read my other post you probably understood I do. I just weigh the seriousness of the situation and the effects it will have on the other person. And you can bet your life I won’t lie when I’m specifically asked for an honest opinion (which I can’t tell about other people I personally know).
I lack the capability of seeing things any other way. If you think you can change my mind, go ahead leave a comment. I doubt you’ll get any results though.
