Cant handle the truth

If you have a friend and you learn of something that s/he didnt knew about; And if s/he did, it would really cause this person tremendous amounts of pain or his/her happiness would literally be shattered. Would you keep him/her in the dark or tell?

I mean something like, her husband is cheating, or his girlfriend is actually a bondage sex freak online with a thousand fans or a parents son is a drug addict, or your friend is actually gonna get fired next month stuff like that.

I would tell him/her immediately and keep it to ourselves. Allowing them to overcome black truths is better than blissful illusions, they will have to face it someday.

Ya I agree with this response. Even more so if just letting it be will come back and bite you. Like let's say your friend something fucked up happened to him and then he asked if you knew about this on the off-chance, I mean just what if, then what would you answer in response to him?

Yeah I'd tell them. It'll be better if they knew quicker so they have more time to get over it and move on rather than being all depressed and confused when they find out by themselves.

Hmmm I'd tell him/her caz its better to know truth than live a lie

I wouldn't agree on that so fast.

I'm actually in a situation where I have some tricky info about a few people that I'm certain they don't want anyone else to know about. Like, one of my friends cheating on his girlfriend on a regular basis for a long time. They're both my good friends and I've known them for a long time. So what am I supposed to do? Tell her that he's been cheating on her, thus breaking them up (although both of them enjoy their relationship) and losing my friends trust (he's the one who told me about that in the first place)? And she doesn't know, that's one thing I'm sure of.
This probably isn't one of those "most important" matters, like being cheated on by husband/wife, but what's more important for most of people than their realionships/work (well I'm still having problems with understanding this whole "I love you, you love me" concept, so I don't really know)?

Long story short, in most cases the saying "ignorance is a bliss" applies pretty damn well.

For me I have friends who can't handle the truth. It's like I tell them and they'll deny it to the point where they knew they were wrong, but denied it so much they think they're right.

I can be pretty blunt when it comes to laying out 'hard truths', so it's no problem to me if someone needs something told.

I guess it would suck if youre telling someone about it and youd end up being the bad guy and its like youre making something up and s/he wont believe you.

In truth anyway, I was under a situation like this in the past. Back then, though I knew the person would be seriously hurt I told him the truth. Thing was I guess... things didnt end up going well and from being one of my best friends, he became one of the people who hate me the most til now.

Now I wonder if there will be a repeat of the same thing and what I would do this time around.

Just tell them to not kill the messenger. It's not your fault that what ever happened, happened, right?

Well, when it comes I guess we'll see.

I think i would feel responsible for supporting those things if i didn't tell, i think they would be in pain, but would get over it and be glad they found out.

Well, there are people too who are too emotional I guess. I mean those who really break down big time and even hurt themselves or em worse. I mean my cousin back then merely got a rumor that his girlfriend was having lunch with some asshole in the office and he was about to see him with a freakin kitchen knife, and his brother just ahd to stop him from what I remember.

Yup.

Tell said person as quickly as possible, if feelings can be spaired then let thme be spaired, but if not well then just tell them. I would rather have them know then to keep it from them.

It's hardly a black and white issue. As RBZ mentioned, this is well a matter of shades of gray.

Though, I personally think there is no such thing as "Better off not knowing".

I prefer to be informed of my significant other cheating on me, or my kids being an addict, or my imminent termination a month hence.

If I know, I can act.

I'd prefer to be informed that the universe is a computer game, or that Cthulu is, in fact, real and going to awaken next week.

If I know, I can plan.

Etc, etc, etc. I think it ties into my other belief of "There is no such thing as impossible."

Another point I'd like to make is to bring up the old quote, "Knowledge is the bane of fear and the balm of terror."

I figure, if one fears something true, then either a confirmation or a denial will help set you straight, even if it's a truth of pure obsidian.

Depends on which one I feel like siding...

The shit call "truth", or her bliss thanks to the ignorance...

Well this would vary wildly on what it is and who I was telling it to.