Thursday, August 09, 2007
must must must must must and a philosophical waxing
It isn't that there is nothing going on at the moment. There's plenty going on (those who stalk me on facebook would know that).
I just finished reading the most beautiful book, called "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night" by Mark Haddon. It's written from the point of view of an autistic teenager. But that's not really the point. The book explores the nature of lies, and asks "When is it ok to lie?" and whilst it doesn't particularly provide an answer, it explores the nature of lies and their effects (both positive and negative) on peoples' lives and feelings - all through the eyes of a boy who cannot technically lie, but has no understanding of the 'text between the lines'
It's really made me reflect on my own life somewhat. There are many 'white lies' that I've told. The book reflects at length on white lies, too. What is a white lie? There are times when you know you aren't lying, but you also know that you are intentionally concealing the truth when it would be better to reveal it.
Then there are the lies that you tell because you want to please people. The book doesn't really talk about that - but that's what I'm most guilty of. Telling people what I think they want to hear, because I don't want to upset them. And then I end up going to great lengths to make what it is that I lied about a truth. ie, "Can the chef please make my dish with only one potato, and the rest vegetables, and change the sauce on the dish to the mole sauce, which he should put to the side? Oh and less cream if at all possible." me: "Not a problem at all!"
Later, chef: "WHAT THE F****???"
But this doesn't apply only to work. It applies to personal relations, too. Don't we all prefer to cater to what people would like to hear. I think we must do it to a large extent. I spent a recent time telling someone something that person didn't want to hear, and it only confused the person intensely. We tend to expect certain outcomes, and it's difficult to realise outcomes aren't as expected, but that through the barricade, there's another possible path, one that could be better, worse, happier, grayer... anything!
Viva la sorpresa en la vida, I say!
fon @ 2:12 PM link to post * *