[:en]Honesty: the Plain and Simple Truth[:]

[:en]“Honesty Is such a lonely word

Everyone is so untrue…”

That is part of one of Billy Joel’s hit songs Honesty released in 1978. In 2009, Beyonce gave a different interpretation to the song when singing it with a feeling as if she herself was a victim of a very dishonest person.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the modern world filled with tight competition among individuals, communities, companies and countries, the word honesty sounds like a strange word in our ears. No wonder that the songwriter considers the word honesty a lonely word – a word that is almost forgotten. Listening to the way Beyonce sung the song would make us feel the desperation that lingers in the mind of those who are seeking for honesty.  What is left now are several questions necessary to ponder. What is the negative impact of the absent of honesty in the life of a nation? How to promote honesty and integrity in school? How to make honesty be an integral part of our daily life so that it ensures the harmony of relationships between individuals, between communities and even between nations?

If people of a democratic country like Indonesia do not value honesty, they will surely endanger the democracy itself and may suffer from a bleak future. It is because honesty is essential factor that makes democracy work. For example, if someone having been voted the president of Indonesia does not fulfill his/her promises given during his/her campaign, s/he will simply hurt not only those who voted for him/her but also people of the entire nation. When people’s disappointment is unbearable, it will probably lead to a chaos whose impact would be unimaginable.

Realizing the potential damage caused by the absent of honesty in a country, we all have to take part in promoting honesty and integrity to children of all educational levels. And, the best places to start learning and implementing honest behavior are at home and at school. Honesty and integrity are important traits to have in our children academic and professional life. In Sekolah Harapan Bangsa, students are taught to learn the SHB's honor code and adhere to it. In their school environments, students acquire these values and behaviors from adult role models (their teachers) and peers, and in particular, through an understanding of the principles of academic integrity. When students learn integrity in classroom settings, it helps them apply similar principles to other aspects of their lives.

In the end, when children or students of Indonesia have been used to living in an environment that values honesty and integrity, then we can expect to have young people who will preserve democracy in Indonesia. If the democracy in Indonesia is well-preserved, Indonesian people can be more prosperous. The prosperity of the people of a country will make the country be well respected in international relations.  And, all the good things above is achievable when all of us are dedicated ourselves to make honesty no longer a lonely word and when everyone is so true… .[:]