What it Means to be a Man III: Honesty

I feel like I’ve writted ad nauseam about the idea of honesty, but it feels impossible to write about the virtues I think should be instilled into every man without mentioning this. Having spoken of a lack of cowardice yesterday, I think honesty is another byproduct of this “bravery”. Fortunately, when it comes to honesty, I do actually have a name written next to the word in my phone, a man who I think exemplifies this quality and who I want to emulate - Daniel Johnston.

It didn’t even occur to Daniel Johnston not to tell the truth, and I think in so many situations, for so many of us, the exact opposite is true. What a remarkable, heroic quality to have. Sure, he had problems and deep imperfections and maybe even his honesty exacerbated those flaws, but his honesty made him special, and made his soul truly beautiful. His honesty really was his salvation, his absolution, his redemption of everything else wrong with him in the eyes of many, myself included.

His honesty made him a man, and it made him a man unlike other men, a man worth holding up as an example. One day, I’d like to be as honest as Daniel Johnston.