I think some subjects require responses to be more honest than others, as when someone is posting to get opinions as to whether they can pass. I feel that honesty is the best policy in that situation, but some get very bent out of shape when told that they're not going to pass, even when it's explained to them that very, very few of us are truly passable in a close encounter with others.

But overall, I feel that it's best to not sugar-coat things. That doesn't mean be rude, although sometimes people take honesty as being rude. That's a problem with the written word, it can be taken the wrong way too easily if someone misreads what is written.

Carol