There;s a difference between how “good” your copy is and how “honest” it is. I believe the old man wasn’t just talking about advert copy. His reference to “honest copy” was a metaphor for everything you say and do. So I agree with you that we must all take stock. But when it comes to our copy ie: what we say and do, lets not confuse “good” with “honest”. Because there’s a whole lot of good copy out there that’s as dishonest as it is good.