2011 Is Honesty a Losing Strategy?

"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are victimized first..."

 This statement implies that there is a force 'out there' which exists as some sort of 'natural law' whereby people who are honest become victims, as if there is no room for self-responsibility in the Universe.  Imagine if each one thought this way and acted accordingly, we would have a system of abuse, where some play victim and others, 'the cunning ones', play predator and take advantage of the weakness of the victims.  The statement implies that by realizing this 'truth' about the system one can have an advantage, however, simply by accepting this statement one becomes the abuser, the victimizer.

Now obviously, in this world, we do have those who take advantage of others, through an unEqual education system, through the control of money supplies and exchange rates, and yet, if those who can see this accept the above statement, then how will things ever change?  The acceptance of this statement only supports those who are in positions to benefit from dishonesty.  Isn't it obvious that we create this world through what we accept and allow ourselves to be defined by.  If we were to not accept this statement, that one must be dishonest to survive, then we would be in a position to show others and to thus create a system through agreement based on Honesty. And not the kind of honesty like simply telling the truth, but the kind of Honesty where we acknowledge the physical reality that we are a part of and where we recognize the physical needs of others and do not take advantage of that to control others but rather give to each other unconditionally what we each would like.  That is real Honesty, Self-Honesty, because then one realize that we don't have to be dishonest to survive, and that we only create that through participation - rather we can create a world where Self-Honesty is the starting point and where we have no need to be dishonest. When the system actually supports each one and ensures that each have what they need, then why would one need to be dishonest? That is only necessary when the system is a game where the rules are unfair and one MUST cheat just to exist.

Ultimately, we are each responsible for the rules we accept and allow ourselves to follow, and while some may be in an unfortunate position due to being born into a place where they have no physical support, it is up to those of us who are fortunate enough to have at least the basics of survival to stand up in place of those who can't and to support each other to actually change this system to one that will eventually support each of us and those children to come to not have to live in dishonesty, believing we have to cheat to live.