Truth is all about perspective, right?
By Drishti Agrawal
I am twenty two years old. Till now I believe I have met enough number of people to be thorough with what to expect out of which kind. There are some people who are insanely casual about their relationships while for some relationships become the centre of their world. Some people have devoted their life to work while others just work to earn. Some people prioritise their family over everything while others take theirs for granted.
In all the scenarios I feel priorities are shown by how much of our true self do we reveal to all these connections. Being secretive is seen as something cool. Everyone is seemingly getting comfortable not knowing the truth about people they interact with. Whenever I listen someone talk I am expected to not give a fuck even if what the person is saying is not true. After all, justification of the truth being a mere perspective can be applied to everything.
Since childhood I have been of the view that we lie for a motive, otherwise it is all truth. It took me all my teenage years and even more to realise that actually it is the other way around. For me, being honest and straightforward has always been the easiest way. Creating a whole scenario and taking a risk of being caught is a lot of task for a lie. However, through these years I have realised that people have mastered this art so well that they don’t feel that effort at all.
Along with this, the thing which bothers me is whether keeping mum about something which the other person seeks an answer for from you, is equivalent to a lie or not.
People tend to keep mum about most of the things in their lives because they consider everyone is on the different slice of the pizza of their lives. Absence or presence on different toppings on different slices won’t cause any harm, while they can relish the taste of the four seasons pizza. I wonder if they consider the cheese which spills from one slice to its adjoining one while being baked.
The entire point being how is a lie different from being secretive if you know the implications of both are the same. I am definitely not asking you to spill out your life history to a person you met at the coffee house, but is it entirely your discretion whether to tell about that meeting to your spouse or not?
Now the question is what are the motives behind all this?
Firstly, the fear of judgement. Which light will they be seen in? What if they are considered wrong? (Well, my friend once you accept your wrong doing and have learnt to live with it, then I wonder if it matters what others might think.)
Secondly, it keeps them guarded. Truth is dangerous, it gives the other person the power to take an advantage of their deep self.
Thirdly, mystery is the new sexy. People are gauged for longer if they remain secretive, it gives them a project to work on. To find the hidden treasure and then to decide whether it was worth it or not.
Every time I meet such a person, which is way too often, I want to shout out to them that how easy it is to be honest. It might be a tougher path since you might change but the world around you won’t but at least honesty doesn’t make you compromise with your own self.
About the author:
Drishti is from the batch of 2017–19. At times she would care for the most insignificant of things while she might not give a damn about the most important of things sometimes. She somehow always ends up at extremes and loves dancing maybe even more than food.
