Is telling someone what they wanna hear a good thing or not?

[jasco]

Sometimes it can be but I feel like its better not to.

[Lliam]

Sometimes, but rarely. Definitely not if you are doing it for personal gain.

Some lies are harmless and justifiable.
For example, is it bad to let young children believe in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy?

I remember one case when I was a kid no more than 5 years old. I had a baby cayman for a pet. At some point, it started getting discharges from its eyes. It obviously needed treatment. My dad took me to a place called The Alligator Farm near where we lived in southern California. They were reptile experts and had a whole pond of baby caymans.

I handed Snappy over to one of the keepers who gently said they'd take care of him. Before we left, I went back and asked if Snappy was okay. I pointed at the pond and asked if he was there with the rest. The man pointed and said, there he is. There were dozens and they all looked exactly the same, so I believed him. It was a very kindly lie because it made me feel reassured that my pet was happy.

I think it's okay to tell certain white lies. One example would telling the wife or parents of a soldier who was KIA that he didn't suffer.

[HighlyVolatile]

I really value tactfulness but I think we should strive to tell people what might benefit them most to hear. There are many ways to tell someone what we truly think though.

For example, if we come across a boy crying who was bullied, we can tell him to stop being a coward and weakling as we might think but that doesn't seem to have a high chance of doing good. We might even add to his list of bullies that way.

So I think far better is offer a firm hand, help him up to his feet, and encourage him to be strong and brave because we recognize that capability in him to be strong and brave. That's still the same fundamental truth of our thoughts but seems far more likely to benefit the person.

[HighlyVolatile]

I also think if we are truly trying to tell people what they need to hear, we should tailor what we say to the person. As an example, say I was a personal trainer and I had a client who was so overweight. Even though it's what I honestly think, I wouldn't see any benefit 99% of the time in calling her fat, so I won't call her fat. Instead I'll focus on her potential to become slim, and encourage her and applaud her for any progress she makes.

[HighlyVolatile]

So most of the time I think what people need to hear, and I do believe that's what we should tell them, isn't necessarily blunt truths about what they are but encouraging truths about what they can be. And that's the type of tailored, empathetic, but still honest thought that I strive to share with people:
https://youtu.be/UgVA6nXCj1U

[idkwhatsreal]

If it’s also truthful and based in reality otherwise all you are really doing is setting them up to hurt more when the eventually and inevitably fail. And possibly even blame or think you are partially responsible for said failure. Which isn’t completely baseless. Still no factual evidence to prove they would have succeeded if you hadn’t stroked their fragile ego. But there’s nothing saying he wouldn’t have failed if you said what he didn’t wanna hear. So it falls apart. But it will always remain a question. Truth = answers, Which is why the truth prevails.

[aWes0MeNeSs]

Most of the time, it isn't. The truth will almost always come out anyhow, only it will be much harder for them to swallow when they've been fed lies (even well intended ones).

Unfortunately, an ugly truth is better than a beautiful lie. It's better to live in and deal with reality than to be delusional and live in a fantasy world.

[OlderAndWiser]

A friend tells you what you want to hear. A good friend tells you what you need to hear.

[Brainsbeforebeauty]

No sometimes telling someone what they "really need to hear" is what they need whether they like it or not or hate you for it or not.
I don't sugar coat shit, I'm going tell it as it as, call it as I see it...

[Cherry234]

It's not always a good thing. Sometimes people need to hear the truth in order to improve on their weaknesses or problem areas.

[Bratsondanielle]

It depends. If your wife asks you if she's fat, say no. If people ask if there are two genders or 114 tell them the truth (two/2)

[Alwayreckles93]

I rather be hurt by the truth then comfort with a lie.

[Crepe_tart]

bad thing, I would rather people tell me the truth about things onstead of living in a dreamy bubble

[sirderpsalot123]

It isn't always a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Only with women if you don’t want to argue