Speaking the truth can make someone very unlikeable! But does that mean that the person shouldn't be listened to?
No that does not mean the person should not be listened to. Whether you like someone or not, it is stupid to dismiss whatever they have to say.
Imagine your building is on fire, and someone you don't like warns you about it, will you really ignore that person ?
Sometimes dismissing people because you don't like them can cost you dearly in valuable information.
Not liking someone is no reason not to listen to what they say and then think and decide for yourself.
So i guess what i'm asking is are people able to seperate whether or not they like someone from whether or not they find TRUTH value in what they are saying?
A lot of people aren't. Take Obama, a lot of people like him but he usually lies. If you look at Putin, a lot of people don't like him and yet he speaks the truth more often then not.
So are you able as an individual to look past a person to what they are saying or is the only thing that matters whether or not you like someone?
I am able to look past my personal and public opinion to what is said. Not liking someone to me is no reason to dismiss what they have to say.
This has all sorts of implications not just in every day life but also in politics for example where one candidate might be more charming or good looking than another and just more presentable and likeable yet his/her policies might not be as good as those of someone who is not so good at razzle dazzling people....should it matter?
It shouldn't matter but it does. A lot of people vote for the charming more presentable fellow. Though to me, the more charismatic, charming, good looking, presentable and likable a person is the more careful I get. A lot of people tend to judge people with these traits at a lesser or opposite intensity as unreliable or suspicious which is not always justified.
We see examples all the time in everyday life of the most likeable person gaining support...but are they actually the person people should be listening to? For example...are they the most honest?
I don't think that the most like-able people are any more inclined the truth then un-like-able people.