Truth without tact

Must Candour Cut Through Care?

Shantam Neogi, AIS MV, XII D

Everyone has a friend who says, “Bro, I’ll be dead honest with you, it’s looking very bad.” He isn’t trying to rage-bait, just being ‘dead honest’. And all you wish that the friend was dead for being so brutal, or do you – for he was nothing but honest. So, this maybe the perfect time to ask – are we confusing candour with cruelty?

Problem: toxic truths
From childhood, we’ve heard ‘Honesty is the best policy’. Yet sometimes, being honest destroys relationships. Paradox, right? This begs the next question that, should honesty – the most underlined virtue  – come with a limit? Today, we thrive in a digital era, where honesty often turns into rudeness. Algorithms reward extreme, attention-grabbing hot takes, so people deliver their ‘truth’ in the loudest, most offensive way possible. Trolling and insulting clips go viral; the line between critique and contempt collapses. A pop example is Samay Raina’s “India’s Got Latent,” which thrived on negativity, defended as “just being dead honest and funny.” Psychologists also note a pattern: ‘brutal honesty’ can mask a superiority play – using candour as cover for one-upmanship instead of genuine care.
At work, ‘radical candour’ asks us to challenge directly while caring personally. When that balance is lost, it morphs into obnoxious aggression – blunt truth without empathy. That’s not courage; it’s carelessness.

Solution: cushioned
critiques
The brutal truth is a roadblock to growth because harsh delivery triggers a threat response and defensiveness. Incivility is like a social contagion – degrading focus, judgment, and performance. That’s why ‘rudeness is a neurotoxin’ isn’t just a metaphor; unkindness can poison group climate. So, no, ‘sugarcoating’ isn’t the point – but packaging matters. A cake needs cream just like how feedback needs cushioning.
Being truthful should be balanced with empathy. Both ends of the sword should have equal weight. Voltaire put it crisply: “Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said.” He isn’t endorsing deceit; he’s advocating strategy – timing, tone, and relevance. Also, honesty is not always the truth; it’s often an opinion. Hate a new haircut? Sceptical of a project idea? That’s  hypothesis, not fact. Ask, “What outcome do I want?” If the goal is growth, choose clarity with care.
Brutal honesty is passé
The key is thoughtful honesty. Keep the courage, drop the cruelty. Name facts as facts; mark opinions as opinions; add context, respect, and a path forward. In short, stop being truthful – and start being  kind and thoughtfully honest.

Great chemistry

AIS Noida

The Chemistry club organised a drama competition titled, ‘The pH of Emotions’ on August 25, 2025. The programme commenced with a warm welcome by, Aditi Dahiya (XI) and Khushali Sharma (XI). This was followed by an introduction to the club and its vision by Aarini R Baranwal (XII). The other core members of the club were Anshika Chand (XII), Anvi Adita Mohanty (XII), Bhavleen Kaur Sethi (XII) and Saket Singhal (XII). A total of seven teams participated, each presenting a short act on diverse themes such as, ‘The Litmus of Friendship’, ‘Big Bond Ballot’, ‘pH of Hearts’, ‘Logged In: The Elemental Network’, ‘The Elemental Trail’, ‘Chemistry in Constitution’, and ‘Reaction of Hearts: A Displacement Story.’ The performances ranged from humorous to thought-provoking ideas, weaving science, emotions and creativity together. 
The first prize was awarded to Team Big Bond Ballot, while Team Logged In: The Elemental Network bagged the second prize. The third prize went to  Team Reaction of Hearts - A Displacement Story, while Team Chemistry in Constitution earned special mention. After the contest, the core members of the club presented a special act on the topic, ‘Chemistry Courtroom’ followed by announcement of including Class IX and X also in the Chemistry Club.

Rewarding Distinction

Cambridge Programme

Various branches of Amity Group of Schools across India organised prize distribution ceremonies to felicitate distinguished performers of Cambridge English Qualifications from Pre A1 Starters to C1 Advanced levels of their respective schools under the aegis of Educational Services Organisation (ESO). An initiative of Dr (Mrs) Amita Chauhan, Chairperson, Amity Group of Schools and RBEF, the programme encourages Amitians to enhance their linguistic proficiency to global standards. Every year, trophies are awarded to students who score grade A and 100% marks in Cambridge English Qualifications exams.
A total of 1064 students were felicitated in September and October, 2024-25, for exemplary results with seven students, Eeshan Dhar, AIS MV, FCE; Aditi Hrishikesh, AIS Vas 6, FCE; Sparsh Joshi, AIS Noida PET; Aaradhya Marya, AIS Noida, KET; Katyayani Konda Bajpai, AIS Noida; KET, Reyansh Tayal, AIS Vas 6, KET; Chaitannya Aggarwal, AIS Vas 6, KET, scoring 100%. Notably, for the second consecutive year, Cambridge has also acknowledged the outstanding efforts of Amity Group in advancing English language skills by bestowing the prestigious Mountain Movers Award.
Cambridge English Qualifications, spanning from Pre A1 Starters to C1 Advanced, are internationally recognised and accepted by over 29,000 educational institutions in 140 nations. All Amity International and Global schools are recognised preparation centres for Cambridge English Qualifications. The programme is run under the aegis of ESO, which is an authorised exam centre of Cambridge University Press and Assessment for Pan-India.