the perceived notion of honesty is a difficult thing for me. not to say that i am a pathological liar; no, quite the contrary. i strive to give the the most accurate responses as possible (perhaps stemming from my being a mathematics major).

since i am always attempting for the greatest clarity, i end up not saying anything until i am absolutely sure of it. this causes a fair amount of difficulty when dealing with people. it seems to me that people don't want accuracy, they just want certainty.

assertiveness and confidence seem to go hand-in-hand but for me, they are polar opposites. asserting oneself is going for something that is desired, even if there is some uncertainty as to whether or not it is the 'right' thing to do. conversely, confidence roots itself in certainty. certainty that can certainly only be obtained with rigorous evaluation.