In our society, there is a general feeling of distrust. We live in a culture of false advertising and as a result we don't know who to trust. People are constantly afraid that the government, corporations, and media will lie to them. Stephen L. Carter's article, The Insufficiency of Honesty, caught my attention because it addressed this issue at its core and got me thinking about the issue of integrity versus honesty. Currently, there is a cry for honesty. But in reality, honesty is not enough and cannot give up what we are looking for. Honesty is often used to deceive, cause harm, and avoid blame. What people are really looking for is integrity. Carter's article discusses the difference between honesty and integrity and how honesty can be used dishonestly. He also explained how long-held beliefs affect our perception of honesty. All of these factors affect the way we view our society and add to our feelings of distrust. Integrity is a topic people are happy to talk about. It appears to be a product in short supply. I think it's because integrity is a more complex issue than honesty. It takes more work to behave with integrity than simple honesty. Carter says integrity requires three things. You must first be able to discern between good and evil. Second, you must act on what you discern. Finally, you must be able to say that you are acting according to your understanding of right and wrong (Carter 74). In my opinion, these steps required a person to truly think through a situation and ensure their integrity is firm and trustworthy. Without these steps, “a person can be entirely honest without ever engaging in the hard work of discernment that integrity requires” (Carter 74). Did you...... middle of paper ...... in the end, Carter convinced me that simple honesty is not enough. Honesty is a noble trait, but it is often misused and can do great harm. Honesty also allows people to escape moral responsibilities. What we're really looking for is integrity. We must train ourselves to analyze moral issues and execute appropriate responses based on our analysis. We must understand that integrity is a deeper issue than simply telling the truth. Not only does it require a true understanding of an issue, but integrity also requires a person to follow through on their commitments and reinforce that they can be trusted. Honesty is the appearance of short-term reliability. But true integrity comes from working hard to establish your trustworthiness throughout your life. Works Cited Carter, Stephen L. “The Insufficiency of Honesty.” Atlantic Monthly February. 1996: 74-76.