what's the problem with honesty?

I'm not really sure what's happened this week, but its been littered with dishonest(ies) and the peddling of untruths and disingenuity. Still can't fathom how I managed to attract so much of this stuff, this week. From colleagues who regularly set out to distort the truth in attempts to mask or distract from their own ineptitude - yes people in academia who cut and paste massive chunks of texts from the documents of other institutions and then pass it off as their own 'staff development plans'. To those I once called friend, who feign concern but then their words and overall intentions collapse under the weight of contradictory and disingenuous utterances. To passing acquaintances who choose to 'quote' factually incorrect information from a document we are both privy too. Maybe they think I cant read or understand of the same sentences on the same page we both have in front of us?


As a social and qualitative researcher I have been taught to judge my work (and those of others) against the degree of credibility and plausibility of the evidence presented. As a normal person in society, the importance of interacting with others from a basis of transparency and openness has always been somewhat of a priority for me, especially in my work environment. Am I always 100% honest, 100% of the time, too absolutely every person I have ever interacted with?No!

But even so; rather difficult, this week to be confronted so continually and so resolutely with such blatant deception. Is it a sign of the times in a world gone crazy with 'fake news' and the deliberate slippage between facts and belief? Or has it merely been the case of my own untruth sins catching up with me? I can't say really. Strangely, it feels for me, so incredibly sad, so draining, to have been enveloped by so many unsolicited and uninvited untruths this week. I cant help but wonder whether or not those doing all this dishonesty peddling know or care, that I know the extent of their untruths?