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| Boy Three takes a picture of his family and I trust he doesn’t drop my camera. |
I hate being tricked, I always have. I know you’re supposed to find it all utterly hi-lair-ious and roll about guffawing if someone catches you out in a prank, but it hardly even makes me smile. Of course, I’ll pretend to laugh be amused by the jape, but inside I’m shriveling – shame curdling my insides.
The world would be a much better place if people just told the truth and things were exactly as they appear to be. But it they don’t and they aren’t.
Even at school, it felt that I was always the ‘gullible’ one who fell for the joke – or the lie, as it seemed to me. And no matter how much I promised myself I’d see the next one coming, I never, ever did.
Even now, my husband thinks it’s the funniest thing to dupe me, make me believe something – however briefly – that simply isn’t true. I still hate it. It still makes him laugh.
I suspect I’m not alone. Maybe the world is made up of two kinds of people, the pranksters and the rest. As inevitably as I tumble for some made-up nonsense, plausibly delivered, it will never ever cross my mind to fool someone, for any reason, least of all my entertainment. Why would anyone do that? Hmm, indeed.
On my perfect planet only the truth would be permitted – irritating klaxons would go off at white lies, stinky big fibs or even slightly sneaky acts. Businesses would be banned from saying “we’re here to help you” when what they mean is “we’re here to get you to spend as much as possible”. Politicians of any sort would be simply silenced and anyone saying “I’m only doing it for your own good…” will be sent to bed without supper.
How refreshing to be able to take whatever you hear at face value, to know it’s the best deal, a genuine complement or what the person actually wants, not what they think you want them to want. Entire brains full of mental energy would be liberated in an instant and could be put to dealing with more important matters like ending sexism or inventing affordable robots to do housework.
Today’s post is inspired by the question: Are you easily tricked? Do you fall for things?
It was posed by Vonnie who is hosting a daily roundup of for bloggers taking part in the NaBloPoMo marathon.
I don't think I'd like a world where there was only truth. I like a world where my husband tells me that my extra baby weight is cute, ya know. 😉
So much of this resonated, and yet I liked Meeshie's comment too. I hate that I'm really naive when it comes to bullshit, I just want to think the best of people and unfortunately that doesn't tend to pan out well.
Maybe although my husband is wise enough to know it's a good idea to say nothing on that kind of subject.
I know that feeling – continually surprised and upset by it.