A Rhetorical Analysis of Death of Honesty by William Damon

A Rhetorical Analysis of Death of Honesty by William Damon
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A Rhetorical Analysis of Death of Honesty by William Damon
William Damon, in his insightful essay "The Death of Honesty," acknowledges that honesty is sometimes overrated and the truth may sometimes not set one free. For various reasons, people have embraced lies to suit their agenda, some of which are justifiable. William goes further and delves deeper into the implications of being honest besides by giving compelling evidence on the effect of lying. The article’s underlying theme is that honesty is on a downward spiral, and instances of dishonesty are more prevalent in society than ever before. Damon asserts that lying, coupled with a lack of virtue, is detrimental to a society's wellbeing, and if people normalize such behaviors, its consequences may collapse democracy. With interesting case examples, Damon persuades readers to detach themselves from dishonesty, without which the society's moral fabric may be torn to the point of no return.
Damon's message acknowledges that not all lying is bad, depending on the underlying circumstance. He agrees with many readers when he observes that not every situation needs to be surrounded by truthful features. In some cases, lying is a noble practice that must be adopted. He gives an example in the first paragraph of reassuring an ungainly teenager concerning his or her looks. The other example is when a non-Jew could lie to the Nazis about the whereabouts of hidden Jew families. In these examples, it’s obvious that being truthful is not the most viable option (Damon, 2012). However, Damon makes his position clear about lying by appealing to the reader’s ethics. In the fifth paragraph, Damon says that many learning institutions do not prioritize teaching honesty. The statement reminds the reader of the expected cultural standards, including trust, which should be instilled in young children.
In the next paragraph, Damon further suggests that no functional civilization can withstand the pressure of dishonest communication without collapsing due to a lack of mutual trust. He attempts to justify this argument by saying that individuals usually shun liars since they are untrustworthy. In essence, Damon believes that a whole civilization may collapse if penetrated by too many lies. By ascribing to such belief, he appeals to the author's logic when he backs such statement by saying that liars cannot be trusted because of their visible trait. He also defends his position on trust when he examines the crucial role of honesty throughout the civilizations (Damon, 2012). He gives credible examples of ancient Romans, the Bible's Old Testament, and America's historical rulers such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, who did not shy away from the truth.
Armed with the advantages of honesty and integrity in a societal setting, Damon extends his arguments by highlighting the rationalizations people use to be dishonest and extend his examples in the contemporary setting. In the modern world, sometimes it may be fatal or foolish to deal with the masses honestly. Because of the incessant lies spread by many people, including corporate leaders and top politicians, there...