People are good at hiding things. The ability to lie and deceive comes with our consciousness. A lot of the time it can be extremely harmful, but sometimes people act purely out of desperation.
Far too many people nowadays hide who they really are; they put on a facade, showing others only what they think they want to see. What can we infer from this? I think the main issue is that a lot of people don’t feel comfortable with who they are; they don’t feel comfortable in their own skins, and so try – or at least pretend – to be something they’re not.
I imagine everyone’s hidden something or other about themselves at some point or another. After all, we live in a society that is extremely judgemental, where some things – thoughts, actions, ways of behaving – aren’t acceptable, and so moderation of character is necessary. There’s a major difference, though, between keeping some small part of who you are to yourself, and putting on a front; actively being someone you’re not.
Now, this is a bit of a controversial issue. Some people might say that you can’t not be yourself, as whatever you do defines who you are; every action is some small part of your overall self. I disagree, however, and would say that who you are is what comes naturally to you – your human nature – made up of the thoughts, actions, and ways of behaving that you feel most ‘comfortable’ with. I don’t mean comfortable in front of other people, but rather comfortable within yourself, without any passing judgement or expectations to live up to.
Moderation can be important, as you obviously need to consider other people when you’re in a social environment. You need to think about the consequences of your actions and how people might view you. At the same time, thought, you most certainly shouldn’t let that rule your life. Please, please, please be yourself, and don’t hide the real you, presenting a false character to the rest of the world. I’ve seen it happen so many times before, and it’s one of the hardest things to watch. You know somebody – the real them – as a wonderful, beautiful person, but then you watch as they sweep it all under the rug and turn in somebody completely difference when they find themselves around other people.
I like to know real people. After all, people can be pretty brilliant! Strip away peer pressure, the need to feel wanted and accepted, and let people be themselves and you’ll find we live in a pretty empathetic, caring society, full of people with hopes and dreams, with skills and talents that may well blow your mind.
