Since when did our mother and father tell us not to be honest? Since when your teachers or your bosses telling you the same thing? Well, it just did, in action anyway.
We are sometimes so self-absorbed with the real fact, that we brainwashed ourselves to accept the lies. Because we all know honestry is not always well rewarded. Forget about George Washington with its tree cutting honesty, or even returning wallet dropped by some strangers. It's not going to happen, just a fable, the end!
I cannot tell a lie ...
I remembered witnessing a mother commanding to a toddler over a counter, "don't utter a word, keep it in a bag!". It's about an excess change that the teller has mistakenly returned. Or sometimes, we promise more than we have the ability to fulfill them. In the end, we just pass the bulk and point our fingers to someone else to take the blame. It's the real world we are talking about.
It's just pity to note that people who are dead honest are just plain stupid, sometimes idiotic. Even worse to know that these people actually dig their own grave for being too honest, and not being able to notice that someone had already backstabbed them until they are left bleeding to death.
The world is not a fair place to be. We just have to be careful who we are dealing with, and not to reveal too much just not to get hurt. It's no wonder all of us living in a sad world even though more civilisation we are exposed to.