“Truthfulness is moderation in speech; excess is boastfulness, deficiency is self-deprecation.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book II, Chapter 7
🔍 Core Idea
Truthful speech is your smartphone’s voice memo — raw recordings (honesty) beat boastful filters (🎭) or muted whispers (🤫). Like calibrating video call audio to avoid echo and silence, ethical communication requires balanced self-expression.
❗ Why This Matters Today
📱 Social Media Authenticity
Boastful: Post fake luxury hotel pics → lose trust 🚫
Self-deprecating: Delete all achievements → miss opportunities 🚫
Golden Mean: Share 1 real struggle + 1 genuine win/week → build credible influence.
👥 Group Project Credits
Boastful: Claim 90% work → breed resentment 🚫
Self-deprecating: Say “I did nothing” → invite freeloaders 🚫
Golden Mean: State 3 specific contributions → acknowledge teammates → model leadership integrity.
🎓 College Application Ethics
Boastful: Fabricate volunteer hours → risk rejection 🚫
Self-deprecating: Understate real achievements → get overlooked 🚫
Golden Mean: Describe 2 passions with evidence → ask teacher for balanced feedback → ace authentic storytelling.
🚀 Action Steps
- Speech Calibration App
Use Otter.ai to analyze weekly conversations → flag boastful/self-deprecating phrases. - 21-Day Truth Challenge
- Week 1: Replace 3 exaggerations with facts
- Week 2: Convert 3 “I’m terrible at…” → “I’m learning to…”
- Honesty Accountability Squad
Form 3 friends → exchange monthly “truth report cards” → award Most Balanced Speaker.