Honesty

Tell me the truth. Truthfully. Don't beat around the bush. Don't jab, hint or wink. I don't and will not understand- in fact I'll misunderstand. I wish the world was a place where you can just go up to a person and say "I hate you" even if I am at the receiving end, or "I love you" even if I am the one who has to say it. Some may say that the world would be even uglier and angrier if the truth is told all the time, but I beg to differ: the truth will not cause wars, arguments and fights if people could accept the truth with grace and an open heart.
So if you, like me, have to refer to books on the body language and psychology to decipher what the people around you is ACTUALLY trying to say, then I know you also have a secret wish: to be able to read minds, since those books are not very useful. I suspect that they are not accurate or helpful in the first place, since I am getting very strange 'readings' from the people I observe, but then again I could be coming to the wrong conclusions. Those books also usually comes with several caveats: body language can be faked, is subject to age, gender, ethnicity and culture, may not be what it seems and no single body language is a reliable indicator.
I did try to act based on what I assumed was how other people actually felt, with disasterous results. Why? The girl at my workplace could either be in agreement with me and likes me very much or she could just be very weird, and that guy could be very much in love with me, or he could be interested in ALL the other girls in the same room (the author did say that men are 'interested perpectually' in most women). Alternatively, they could be bored, and knowing that I was trying to read their body language, was trying to mess with me for amusement. So what have I learnt from all those books? Never trust people in a profession that gives you advice and then subject it to about a dozen conditions (lawyers included).
I have been called 'brutally honest'- I am not sure what that means, but I do know that some people tend to avoid me because of that. People who can't avoid me (association not by choice, but by fate or blood relationship) tend to get upset with me a lot. I can't speak for anyone else, but I do like frank, genuine and honest people in general, so I adhere to the 'all or nothing' rule: I either tell the truth, or I say nothing at all. However, while it is rather hard for me to see the problem with saying what is on my mind, nowadays I do realise that white lies are neccessary evils, but then telling lies, for me, does have its problem. I get too creative:
X: (Sighs) I don't think I'll ever find that someone special.
Me: Why? [Genuine question]
X: Look at me. I don't think girls would want to go out with someone like me.
Me: But why? You are a nice guy. [truth]
X: But there are tonnes of nice guys around.
Me: Well, you are smart and you (insert talent here) [truth]
X: So? I am not rich or good looking enough.
Me: I don't think that is important at all. [Genuine opinion]
X: Yes it is.
Me: No, it is not. You just need the courage to ask the girl out.[sincere advice]
X: Huh?
Me: Yeah. You need to just ask. I am sure she ll appreciate the fact that you were brave enough to even ask and oblige.[Genuine opinion]
X: Yeah right.
Me: Right!
X:Thats you. Not everyone is the same.
Me: Okay, well at least you would have tried. Don't put yourself down- you are actually quite good looking and you do have a good future. [white lie]
X: Really?
Me: Really. In fact, I see girls checking you out all the time. You are quite a good catch. [blatant lie]
X: Wow. I never knew that. Why don't I have a girlfriend?
Me: Urm.... well you see..... maybe you just have to wait.
X: I don't believe you. (looks at me suspiciously) I guess I am destined to be alone forever.
Me: Urm....don't worry. If you are worried, what about other guys who are lesser mortals compared to you? [blatant, blatant lie]
X: Really?
Me: Yeah really. Compared to other guys you are superior. You have superpowers and you can fly. Which girl wouldn't fall for you? [ABSURD, OUTRIGHT AND RIDICULOUS lie]