Seems to me there are different definitions of honesty. Your jerk person thinks honesty means saying anything he thinks, without thought towards consequences. Other people think there are times when it is more honest to withhold the full truth. Truth is a tricky thing. Despite what people say, it is usually very hard to be certain what truth is. Our sense are suspect. Our interpretations are suspect. Our information is incomplete. Many people act as if they know all there is to know, and say whatever pops into their heads, and calls it truth. Other people hold back, realizing they may not know the truth, or what they think is true is actually mistaken. On the other hand, there are times when people withhold truth because they believe they are protecting someone else. They assume they know better than someone else what is good for them. I think this is a problem, too. In the end, what you ask is a tricky thing. What you say depends on many factors: politeness, venality, care and empathy, as well as too many other things to mention. The truth is a double-edged sword. I think it’s a rather ephemeral sword, like one of those nano-swords from science fiction. It is extremely sharp. It can cut through anything. It is almost impossible to see. Clearly, truth is something that needs to be wielded very carefully!