So something I've been thinking about lately is honesty. This is mostly brought about because summer television programming has forced me to lower my standards so I've been watching Pretty Little Liars and The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
I do think it is worth pointing out that both of these shows are full of teenagers who (and I say this without judgment) can be idiots. When I think back to when I was in high school, I'm pretty sure I was melodramatic and annoying to the point where, if I met myself now, I'd be getting tossed off a cliff. And yet I distinctly remember being one of the more laid-back girls I knew. So there's some happy news for teenage boys: you can't win, only survive.
Anyway, both shows have major plot lines that only exist because people lie or don't come clean immediately when something happens so that it turns into this huge production with heaps of drama and I end up yelling at my TV.* Obviously I'm aware that if they actually followed my sage wisdom there wouldn't really be a show anymore BUT STILL. It makes me rage out at the screen. Stop lying and simplify your life!!!
So that led me to thinking about the lies that people tell in real life. A big one is pretending to remember someone's name when you don't. I really don't see the point in this. Who cares if someone doesn't remember your name? Some people are just bad at remembering names, it's not that big of a deal. (This blase attitude could be because I'M really bad at remembering names, but . . . nah.) I just don't think there's anything wrong with saying to someone "I'm so sorry but I don't remember your name" as long as you're polite about it. The odds are good it's happened to everyone so they ought to be pretty forgiving of it.
Recently, I was at a house party where I met a ton of new people and I told all of them "I'll try really hard to remember your name but I probably won't because I'm really bad at it. You can forget mine if it makes you feel better!" And no one cared. They all thought it was funny and a few people took it upon themselves to quiz me on their names throughout the night and harass me if I got it wrong. (Incidentally, I remember those names now.) But it was all in good fun and it was a great party. I will concede that in certain situations there is more pressure to remember a name (like if it's associated with work or you're a politician or something) but lying is just stressful, don't you think?
If I have learned anything from TV, movies and (dare I say it?) real life, you should never gamble that a secret will stay hidden because the odds of that are SERIOUSLY not in your favor. Think of all the drama that could be eliminated or at least lessened by not taking the easy way out. Take a deep breath, man up, and tell the truth.**
*Spellcheck gets really cranky if you don't use capital letters for "tv." How picky.
**Just to clarify, I'm not talking Liar, Liar-style truth telling where you say whatever's on your mind. Just go on a lying diet, m'kay?
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