“There are no less sincere people than those who always tell the truth.”Luc de Vauvenargues · Reflecții și maxime · 1746 · maxima 291
True sincerity considers context and effect, not just the principle of saying everything.
Vauvenargues notes that always telling the truth can be a form of rigidity or pride, not genuine sincerity. Sometimes people who boast about their absolute honesty ignore context, hurt deliberately, or refuse to stay silent when it is better to say nothing. A friend who tells you 'that dress doesn't suit you' in front of everyone is not necessarily more sincere than one who waits to speak in private.
Why it matters It teaches us that true sincerity considers timing and effect, not just the principle of saying everything.