Which detail best shapes the idea that people become dishonest when communicating with others? excerpt from Friendship by Ralph Waldo Emerson There are two elements that go to the composition of friendship, each so sovereign, that I can detect no s
The detail that best shapes the idea that people become dishonest when communicating with others is the phrase, "Every man alone is sincere. At the entrance of a second person, hypocrisy begins." This suggests that individuals are only able to be genuine and truthful when they are alone, and that the presence of another person forces them to adopt a superficial manner of communication, filled with dissimulation and pretense. This indicates that interactions with others can lead to dishonesty, as people feel the need to cover their true thoughts and feelings with layers of social niceties and protective behaviors.