My sense is that for an individual to be honest with himself is the core thing, by which I mean he knows what he has seen, and can say what he has seen and that he has seen it, without self-deception. I guess I do not see automatic virtue in telling truth, whole truth to all and sundry, but if you lie to yourself, convince yourself that your explanations are true, then you are on the path downward...I have to run off leaving this incomplete.