Random question, but it’s on my mind

Do people who start almost every sentence with “To be honest . . .” or “Let me be honest with you . . .” make you nervous?

12 thoughts on “Random question, but it’s on my mind

  1. No. Maybe it would in a work-world environment. But when I hear “to be honest” prefacing someone’s statement, I find it refreshing to some extent. It sort creates a positive anticipation for me that the person is about to be real with me. And people who are real me likey.

    But I could totally see being in an environment, work or anywhere, where the use of those prefatory phrases signals criticism or is meant to imply license to be rude or inconsiderate.

  2. It’s not so much that. This is just a nervous tick someone I work with has. Said almost before every statement

    To be honest :-), when I hear the phrase “to be honest” my first thought is “what, does that mean you’ve been lying up to this point?”

    (of course, I say it too)

  3. That and “No offense, but…”

    Uh…your “simple human check question” – I must be a “really simple human.” The question is: The Atlantic and the Pacific and both what?”

    My first thought: Avenues. Guess I’ve been playing too much Monopoly.

  4. If it’s almost every sentence – it most certainly would make me nervous.

    But I do say it once in a while – not to indicate a change from dishonesty to honesty – but to indicate a change from reservation to full disclosure.

  5. The way you describe it being done, I don’t think it’d make me nervous so much as irritated. That’s one ridiculous verbal tic.

    Reminds me of people who use “literally” literally, like, every time they speak. And use it incorrectly, of course.

  6. Definitely!

    when I hear the phrase “to be honest” my first thought is “what, does that mean you’ve been lying up to this point?”

    That’s pretty much what goes through my mind in those instances.

    Oh, and side note, in the “Simple Human Check Question”, I totally almost put “rain” when it asked “When it rains, what falls from the sky?”

  7. I almost put “rain” also!

    To be honest with you, it’s good to know you’ve got us literalists covered, Bill.

  8. well yess i agree with you dad. that its like “have they been lying to me up to this point?

    but no one really says it to me. so. yeahh.

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