Conviction Quote by Robert E. Lee
“The trite saying that 'honesty is the best policy' has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The seems to be true. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy.”
About This Quote
True honesty stems from conviction, not from policy; it is a moral stance rather than a rule.
In simple terms: Honesty is conviction, not policy.
Key Takeaway
Act from moral conviction.
Themes
honesty
integrity
conviction
morality
policy
Mood
serious
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- decision making
- leadership
- personal integrity
- policy making
Key Concepts
ethical philosophy
personal values
leadership
Questions to Reflect On
- What convictions guide your honesty?
- How do policies affect personal integrity?
A Different Perspective
Policy can enforce behavior but not inner honesty.
![“From your confessor, lawyer and doctor, hide not your case on no condition. [Is this a way of saying that honesty is the best policy?]” quote by John Harington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ee/john-harington-42921_cases_from-your-confessor-lawyer-and-doctor-hi_565267.jpg)
![“Beneath everything else, North and West, there ran a profound, unvoiced, almost subconscious conviction that the [American] nation was going to go on growing-in size, in power, in everything a man could think of-and in that belief there was a might and a fury that would take form instantly at the…” quote by Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a3c/bruce-catton-15493_belief_beneath-everything-else-north-and-west-t_10801.jpg)
