Overheard a guy at the coffee shop say 'honesty without kindness is just cruelty'

I was waiting for my drink yesterday and this guy was talking to his friend about a tough conversation. He said, 'I used to think being brutally honest meant just saying whatever I felt, no filter.' His friend replied, 'Yeah, but honesty without kindness is just cruelty.' That stuck with me. I've definitely used 'brutal honesty' as an excuse to be harsh before. Now I think the point here is to be real, but you still gotta think about the other person. Has anyone else had a moment that made them rethink how they give feedback?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancyramirez3d ago

My therapist calls it compassionate honesty.

sageross2d ago

Sounds like a fancy way to say "be nice when you're critical." Not sure every thought needs that much packaging.