Sample Answer by the Instructor

A healthy relationship between people is based on mutual trust and being

consistently honest and truthful is essential for building as well as maintaining
trust. Although telling the truth is one of the most important ingredients for a
good relationship, I do not think that it is always necessary or even possible to tell truth
all the time. I, therefore, believe that telling some unartful lies so long as it does not
hurt or undermine a relation should be perfectly fine.
There is no doubt that no relation can last long if people take advantage of each other
by telling lies. One can escape telling lies a few times, but ultimately the person will be
caught being dishonest. When people find that another person in the relationship has
been dishonest and deceitful, they no longer trust the person. Repeated lies and the
consequent lack of trust pulls people apart and once the sense of mutual trust is
breached, it becomes impossible to continue the relation in a healthy manner. Usually,
people approach strangers with a certain degree of suspicion because they take the
possibility of being deceived into consideration, but they find it shocking when they
discover that a person very close to them, such as a partner, a family member or a close
friend, has kept them in the dark by spinning stories with no substance. The
exposure of lie can have a profound emotional impact if another person in the
relationship has been fully committed, unsuspecting and vulnerably sensitive.
In this context, it is certainly true that all the close relationships are predicated upon
telling truth and mutual trust.
However, while emphasizing on the importance of telling truth in a relationship, we
should not forget the fact that, unlike any other animal, humans are endowed with a
unique capacity of lying to each other and they do lie occasionally. According to
experts, there is no such thing as a lie-proof relationship. Some people fabricate
elaborate lies to hide their secret extramarital affairs from their partners. Others,
on the other hand, lie for a positive outcome or for a feel-good effect. For instance,
a parent who has recently been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer may not
want to disclose this fact to his/her children who are about to appear in an important
exam. A person with a good sense of humor can also tell ‘white lies’ as a practical
joke to liven up the mood in a social gathering. Seen in this light, we can say that
there is no absolute moral dictum regarding whether lies are good or bad in a
relationship. Rather, it is something that ought to be seen with reference to intent
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and context. Was a lie told with the purpose of deceiving and taking advantage of
another person’s trust or was it told to avoid the unhappy situation disclosure of
truth would have caused? I believe it is important to ask this question for determining
how acceptable a lie should be in a relationship between people.
In conclusion, considering the issue on the broader spectrum, we can say that
telling truth is a precondition for maintaining trust and a lasting relationship. Having
said this, we also need to accept the fact that telling lie is a common human trait and
some small lies may also serve a relationship in a positive way.

Answer by Tseten Diki Bista

I agree with the given statement that speaking the truth at all times is one of the most
important consideration in any relationship between people. A relationship consists of
two people with two different lives coming together and making an effort to be by each
other’s side. This means that for the two individuals to understand each other more,
they need to be able to communicate and need to be able to be transparent with their
loved ones. This requires more effort and for the individual to be more vulnerable with
their partner or friend. This is the time people tend to resort to avoiding such
confrontations and covering it up with a lie. But a single lie leads to a countless number
of lies. This results in false information between the two individuals in a relationship
causing misunderstandings and hence they slowly drift apart.
When a lie is told it shows that lack of trust and stability. It shows that the other person
has something to hide and isn't being fully honest. This can make the other person feel
insecure, hurt and distant. It can be clearly seen that when a relationship is not based off
of trust it can lead to jealousy leading to a toxic relation. It can become very tiring as
each will be questioning the other’s decisions and doubting if there're being true to you.
It makes the relation more of a stressing experience leading to harsh endings. Hence, if
both are more open with each other, there will be less fighting and less grudges will be
held. a lot of times, due to misunderstandings, the two individuals end up assuming
things without even talking about it which is a result of lying in the past and being
secretive about things. This can immensely affect a person’s relationship. It is the main
making or breaking component of a relationship.
Hence, in the long run, all of these lies end up piling up and when the day comes when it
is revealed or exposed, it’s too late. The damage has been done. The facade of a stable
relationship is broken and the relationship isn't as sturdy as before. When both know
the person in and out, they know that even if they do end up doing something wrong or
make a mistake, they will be forgiven because the trust is evidently there. This is where
an exception can be made. Sometimes telling the whole truth can be very damaging for
no necessary reason. This means that sometimes not letting them know about a certain
event or incident can prevent them from hurting or suffering.

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In my opinion, certain lies can be excused in a way, as it’s just a way of protecting your
loved ones. A simple mechanism of the human brain to do anything to protect your
partner or friend from getting hurt. This is known as a white lie. But in the long run,
lying takes you nowhere. It leaves you in a dead end where you get trapped by your own
words.

Samikshya Aryal
Some people argue that telling truth is the most important factor for a good
relationship, while several others hold a different opinion. I strongly agree that always
telling the truth is the most important consideration in relationship between people.

First of all, being honest makes a relationship stronger and enhances the confidence
between the people in a relationship. It is a foundation block without which you cannot
keep building things like trust and connection. When you find a friend or anyone you
always are expecting to be honest and when you have a trust on them, you can tell them
your secrets without any fear. It is said that “Honesty is one of the most precise virtues
of human beings.” It clearly tells that honesty is the best path to walk. When a
relationship is built on truth, it opens the door for growth and grows our character and
also gives freedom. It gives a relationship a chance to solve the problems that comes up
and demonstrate genuine love.

Secondly, not telling truth can cause serious problems. When mistrust comes in any
kind of relationship, it is very difficult to restore what we feel for the other person again.
Once a relationship lacks honesty, then it creates trust issues and eventually lots of
fights and misunderstandings. The relation will cycle through frequent highs and lows
and therefore for any relationship to work out, both need to be loyal and honest. A lie
always follows with another lie until the liar even forgets what the truth looks like.
Hence, I think rather than living in lies and guilt, one should confess dishonesty with the
other person in a close relationship. At the same time, people also expect honesty from
friends, family and everyone near to them. Therefore, in order to get honesty, they need
to be honest to others and build a strong relationship without any trust issues and
misunderstandings.

In conclusion, I believe that honesty is one of the most important pillars of a

relationship and for the long term success in a relationship, it requires both people to
stand up to the expectations of each other.

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 Answer by Kriti Thapa

Trust is the core that forms a basic foundation of any relationship between individuals.
If we expect others to treat us with respect, then we must treat others with the same
measure. Being truthful with each other would be the first and the most important step
for being respectful in any relationship. While I largely agree the proposition, I also
believe in the minor exceptions of white lies as well.

Every relationship—be it between husband and wife, siblings, parents and children or
friends—has a special bond that is supported by trust and respect. One expects sincerity
and loyalty from the other. Telling the truth is very important to consider if anyone
wants to be loyal and trusted. Everyone has the right to know the truth, especially if it
involves a person one cares about. If you are not truthful to one another, then that
relationship loses its value. Almost all relationships break down when someone lies and
is not frank. For instance, we have seen many cases in which a person cheats on their
partner and constantly lies to hide it from their spouse. Majority of the time, the couple
ends up divorcing and ending their relationship when the person is aware of their
spouse’s wrongdoings.

That being said, there are also some exceptions, though minor, in which it is not always
good to be frank. Sometimes, we need to lie to one another in a relationship to prevent
one from getting hurt. We call this as a white lie. For example, your friend has given you
a gift for your birthday and you did not like it at all. But you know that your friend has
made an effort to find and buy a gift for you and you want to respect that gesture. So,
you lie and tell your friend that you loved the gift. Even though you lied, in this case,
lying was far better than telling the truth because it prevented you from hurting your
friend’s feelings.

To summarize, being truthful is crucial to maintain trust in a relationship. We must

always choose to speak and express the truth so that the other person also respects your
relationship. But telling small white lies once in a while also does not hurt either.

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