Differences between sincerity and honesty

Do you consider yourself a sincere or honest person? Keep in mind that they are not synonyms, even though they are often used interchangeably in colloquial language. The differences between the two terms are subtle, but important. when we want to speak properly.

Do you know how to differentiate between an honest action and a sincere one? Next, we will present the differences between sincerity and honesty.

Let’s talk about honesty

Honesty, from vulgar Latin honesty, -ātis, is the virtue of communicating sincerely, being fair, upright and reasonable; It is also considered an action that is accompanied by individual intrinsic values. This relationship It must be coherent to demonstrate the intimate relationship between thinking and acting, the results of which must be fair and complete..

The main quality of a person who practices honesty is that their values ​​correspond to the norms of their community; It is a relationship that results from the trust that one has in the actions of the responsible subject, from the duty to besince it fosters an environment of harmony and respect between both.

Honesty is a special characteristic of the human being, closely linked to the principles of justice and truth. An honest person puts his or her moral integrity first in his or her thinking and acts accordingly. hence its coherence. This value provides mental health to the person who exercises it, due to the peace of mind generated by his behavior with himself and his community.

Characteristics

Honesty is made up of unmistakable characteristics, which makes its bearer a mentally healthy person, with an authentic character and who inspires confidence.

The honest person is self-aware, autonomous and feels great confidence, without being pedantic; He knows how to live with opinions that differ from his intrinsic values ​​and accept his own mistakes in order to improve his integrity. He knows how to trust others, without being naive.

Being consistent with herself and others, she usually enjoys good physical and emotional health, since she is consistent with what she says and does, because she manages clear and practical speech.

Let’s talk about sincerity

Sincerity, from Latin sincere, -ātisderived from sincerus ‘intact, pure’, ‘sincere’, is respect for the truth from what the person who expresses it feels and thinks, canceling all types of lies and pretenses, with frankness and simplicity; It is a virtue that defines his personality.

It can be a double-edged sword in social relationships, since If not said assertively, sincerity can hurt the person who is not ready to hear the truth.. Furthermore, sincerity and arrogance are an ineffective couple, as the saying goes: “sincerity without empathy is simply cruelty.”

Characteristics

The sincere person is characterized by respecting everyone equally, regardless of their status, expresses his opinion without hypocrisy and He usually practices altruism by helping others without expecting anything in return and does not brag about his actions.. Furthermore, it usually Establish long-lasting, quality relationships.

Self-sufficiency is one of the most visible characteristics of the sincere person, since he never seeks to please others with his personality, he expresses himself spontaneously and without any type of effort or appearance. She can be trusted as she is highly unlikely to betray others. This allows you to enjoy good self-love.

Two favorable values

As we have already seen, honesty and sincerity are two favorable values ​​for good physical and mental health. However, Both words have a very significant difference in terms of their meaning and praxis.: Honesty defines the integrity of a person, according to their value system.

On the other hand, sincerity is the expression of a frank and direct person when saying what he thinks and observes; It is authentic when communicating its conclusions and does not condition the opinion of others when waiting for their responses.

Another interesting difference between honesty and sincerity is highlighted by the classical philologist Javier Álvarez, in which he highlights that honesty would encompass sincerity, and gives the example of the murderer who warns his victim that he is going to murder her and immediately does so. Javier reflects that “the murderer has acted with total sincerity, since he has kept his word; but, of course, his act is not honest at all.”

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