The article was long; but it was an interesting modern rediscovery of some points that people in ancient times pondered deeply.

They would distinguish between honesty and free speech that was transgressive and what was courageous--what we now call 'speaking the truth to power'. And there was an idea that flatterers were not friends, because friends tell the truth to each other. Now, if only more world leaders today were surrounded by truth-tellers rather than flatters...

The guy who wrote the article and the guy he was writing about didn't really seem to see a distinction between transgressive radical honesty and courageous radical honesty... But I think this would be a great topic for a song: what if one day there could be no more lying of the kind that keeps dictators in power and sustains injustice?