IS HONESTY NEEDED IN BUSINESS?

Honesty is undoubtedly the best policy. It is a character trait that should be possessed by everyone but, I'm not sure how this trait plays out in a business setting. It is common knowledge that to attain the kind of success that appeal to people you need to have some kind of ruthlessness in your bones. You need some kind of I don't care attitude to make tough profiting decisions.

I don't believe everyone has to get their hands dirty in order to be successful in business, it all depends on what your goals and values are. Dishonesty in business is not new, we all know it, experience it and also take part in it. Hiking prices of items or misrepresenting their quality, failing to be completely transparent to a customer about a product, increasing rent without reasonable cause, falsifying tax and financial records etc, are all instances where dishonesty can be spotted in business deals.

Every business has to grow, and it is natural to measure growth with incomes and profits. I come from a place where people are more inclined to make profit than they are to actually save their own lives. Anything for the money, really. There is no condition under which anyone here would forget to secure the bag first.

The country could be in literal crises, the kind that requires everyone to activate their communal spirit in order to make sure everyone survives, but some people with the abilities to help would rather be more concerned about taking undue advantage. So, they offer their extremely essential services at ridiculously high prices because people are without options and agency. One sad instance was what happened in some of the cities in Nigeria that were affected by the flood and were evacuating their towns.

The transportation services started charging ridiculous fares from these victims, they had folks paying Two to Three Thousand Naira for distances that were previously covered for about Five Hundred Naira. It was sad watching families walking or should I swimming long distances with their load of possessions because they could not afford to pay the bus fare. These are people already displaced and plunged further into poverty now facing little to no compassion from people in advantaged positions.

Present a situation that calls for the barest show of humanity and an opportunity to make extra profit and you already know what option will generate more traffic.
Another instance is the price of insulin. I've never seen anything more ridiculous. So many lives depend on the availability of this medication but a certain company has chosen profit for years over a decent duty to humanity.

Everyone is selling a lie and everyone else is buying. I can't think of any system that operates on followership and numbers that isn't selling one or two lies to push their agenda. From religious spaces, to educational systems, cooperate businesses, down to Aisha who sells bread down the street and uses vegetable oil to polish the old bread and lies to her customers that they are from a fresh stock.

At this point, I don't think anyone can run a business and maintain complete honesty. It's just a little lie, won't hurt anyone, right?
Do you think a brand or company that prioritizes honesty can thrive in the world we live in today?

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