Reciprocity – More Honesty Experiment

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Something just struck me. Ouch! Knock that off!

If this little experiment (or new life direction, as it may be) is going to amount to anything more than a personal pat on the back and smug sense of self satisfaction… it’s probably important that people actually believe me. After all, why go to all the bother of telling the truth all the time, if people don’t notice the difference? Other than that warm smug feeling, I mean.

And then I thought – that’s quite a lot to ask. I’m basically saying to people “believe every word I say, because I promise not to lie”.

But then at the same time I’m effectively saying “I know you’re not playing along, so I’ll pick and choose which bits of your story to believe”.

Reciprocity.

Is that the word I’m looking for? I think so. I have made another decision:

I’m going to believe people. Or at least, I’m really really going to try. It’s only fair, right? I want them to believe me. Reciprocity.

So there. This experiment now risks taking me to strange new depths of gullibility. I’m now determined to believe anyone and everyone, where possible. Of course, some people will always be appallingly bad liars, spouting such unbelievable nonsense as a raving lunatic wouldn’t believe a word they said… but I’m talking about the more subtly-crafted stuff. From now on, whenever I’m in doubt one way or the other, I will strive to err on the side of believing.

This could be interesting.

Bye for now.