"I Think You're fat"
Radical honesty: A program dedicated to complete honesty in one's life based on the idea that lying is the primary source of modern stress and avoiding it will bring happiness and relief. A.J. Jacobs explores the practice of radical honesty in his article, "I Think You're Fat". The purpose of the article is to inform readers not just about the idea of radical honesty, but the difficulty and benefits of participating in such movement. The article is strongly centered around Jacobs' experiment itself, proving this point. Jacobs emphasizes a major benefit of radical honesty by stating, "When I am radically honest, people become radically honest themselves. I feel my resentment fade away" (Page 8). Jacobs constantly asserts that the radical honesty lifestyle is relieving, like a breath of fresh air. However, Jacobs reiterates that the lifestyle is not an easy one. Like most people, Jacobs states, "Mine are little lies. White lies. Half-truths. The kind we all tell" (1). These common lies can often be the hardest part of the lifestyle. Jacobs utilizes a narrative, conversational tone to strengthen his purpose, and achieve his goal of persuading readers to live a more honest, even not as extreme as radical honesty, lifestyle.
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