So, here’s a recent headline in the Albuquerque Journal: “Trump labels New Mexico elections ‘corrupt.'” Well, maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. But what’s the best way to find out, give assurance to doubters and perhaps prove him (or any other skeptic) wrong about that or any similar thing? Not by mere rhetorical rebuttal, but by opening wide the doors and making accusers prove it … or not. Similarly with the recent fraud accusations in Minnesota and elsewhere. Or Pentagon audits. Or White House renovations. Etc.
After all, public trust is on the line, and as we see in the vast wealth and power acquired by many when they enter government service, it’s obvious that fraud could be a temptation for anyone. But in any government claiming to serve the people — local, county, state or national — should transparency not only be required, but welcomed? “Come on in and have a look!” should be the operational theme.
Sadly, though, the problem of the common man/woman in determining truth is compounded almost daily. For instance, are Venezuelans better off now than a month ago before Maduro’s capture? Was the ICE agent justified in the Good shooting? Is Iran really in revolution? Evidences are crafted, slanted or omitted to provide “proof” to whichever spin a reporter presents. Now, in this era often defined by “post-truth” rhetoric and the fictional facades of digital personas, the virtues of transparency and honesty have shifted from a moral expectation to sometimes remarkable acts of courage. Yet to live transparently is to invite the light into the private rooms, not unlike scripture: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Psalm 139:23).
The Judeo-Christian tradition teaches that honesty is not merely a social contract but a reflection of the nature of God. The Scriptures present a God who is “light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Thus, to reflect the goodness of God (which is Goodness itself) is to “walk in the light” … to live a life where internal reality matches external presentation. When Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of his day, his harshest criticisms were reserved for hypocrisy. He likened dishonest leaders to “whitewashed tombs”, which look beautiful on the outside but are full of “uncleanness” within (Matthew 23:27). The biblical call is for a “yes” to be “yes” and a “no” to be “no” (Matthew 5:37) … that a transparent life eliminates those increasingly entangling webs of deception.
The pursuit of honesty finds parallel even in the most ancient philosophy. Socrates famously asserted that “the unexamined life is not worth living”, transparency beginning with self. One cannot be honest with others if they are deluded about their own nature. This “intellectual honesty” is the precursor to moral transparency. As Carl Jung, the famous Swiss psychiatrist wrote: “People avoid facing their own souls; enlightenment comes from making darkness conscious.” We have to have the courage to face even those dark corners of our souls. And as the philosopher Friedrich Nietszche wrote: “The most common lie is the one a man tells himself.”
Similarly, the Stoic Marcus Aurelius wrote in his Meditations about the importance of a mind that is open and clear, arguing that a person should live such that if someone were to ask what they were thinking at any moment, they could answer immediately and truthfully without shame. This Stoic ideal mirrors the Christian concept of “simplicity and godly sincerity” (2 Corinthians 1:12) and to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
In the modern era, the philosopher Immanuel Kant provided a framework for honesty, arguing that honesty is a universal duty and that lying leads to the collapse of all social trust. For Kant, transparency is the bedrock of a functioning society. Søren Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, though differing (greatly!) in religious outlooks, both nonetheless emphasized the “authentic self”. Kierkegaard, a devout Christian, believed that the greatest form of despair is not being who we are before God. To be honest is to strip away “crowd” mentality (the “everyone does it!” outlook) and take responsibility for one’s choices.
In our day, the challenge of transparency is increased by technology. Social media encourages a “managed” version of reality — digital whitewashing that prioritizes appearance over essence. How many AI-created alternate versions and worlds flood the modern internet and airways? Modern thinkers argue that we live in a false transparency of data and surveillance, not the soul-level transparency of honesty. We share our locations and meals and vacations, but we hide our grief; we post our successes, but we delete our failures. Or, conversely, we highlight adversities in hopes of sympathy or even profit (e.g., Crowdfunding).
True transparency requires the willingness to be seen in our incompleteness and faults. Trusted organizations are those where leaders are honest about mistakes. Such “radical candor” prevents the “toxic silence” that leads to institutional decay and public mistrust. Transparency is not about the impractical (and undesired) exposure of every private thought, but the commitment to being known for who we truly are. It is the rejection of a “mask” in favor of the “image of God” within us.
As we navigate the increasing complexities of the future, let us heed the words of St. Paul: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25). One need not be a Christian to recognize the wisdom and desirability of Paul’s words.
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“… walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true) and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them … when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible …” (Ephesians 5:8-12).
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