As if Lady Colin Campbell were speaking on my behalf when she said, 'I'm
not two-faced; I'm honest, and I tell it the way it is. I'm not good at
hypocrisy, pretending to be someone I'm not.' Back in my younger days, my dear
old grandma, may her soul rest in peace, used to tell me that I had seriously
"thick lips." Of course, she wasn't referring to my pout! What she
meant was that I was as straightforward and blunt as they come. Grandma's sage
advice was, "Be more like camels, darling. They've got soft tongues,
perfect for munching on those prickly weeds without a fuss!”
Fast forward to my adult years, and boy, did I face a conundrum dealing
with the sheep mentality posse—the folks who march to the beat of situations
and circumstances, spinning a web of lies and hypocrisy as they go. I found it
tough because my honesty and no-nonsense attitude were rare like a diamond in a
field of pebbles. People expected me to dish out lies as if I were a
counterfeit artist forging illusions on the canvas of conversation, just to go
with the social flow.
Oh, the struggle was real! I suffered because I refused to partake in what
I call social hypocrisy. They wanted me to flash a grin at people I couldn't
stand, all in the name of social decorum, as if my feelings were supposed to
take a backseat to theirs. I was expected to bend the truth, sprinkle fairy
dust over unpleasant realities, and perform the delicate dance of social
hypocrisy. However, I couldn't bring myself to play the game.
Then, as I ventured further into the wider world, I stumbled upon the stark
reality that hypocrisy is the cherished policy du jour. I crossed paths with
folks who championed family values but were caught red-handed cheating on their
spouses. I met religious leaders who preached about honesty but were later
exposed for spinning tall tales. I encountered people who wore a friendly
facade when things were smooth, but showed their true colors in times of
adversity. And don't get me started on those who claimed to be against
discrimination but then spewed out racist and sexist remarks like confetti.
I was told that we're all hypocrites at times, that our actions needn’t
always line up with our beliefs. I was told about the existence of "white
lies," and it left me feeling a bit bewildered. It struck me as curious
that people would assign colors to lies in an attempt to rationalize them.
Translation? Be an angel in the daylight and a mischief-maker when no one's
watching. Spread kindness and compassion during the day, and let loose your
satanic side when night falls. What kind of society are we brewing here?
Allow me to shed a bit more light on the matter: there's a clear
distinction between the art of courtesy and the murky waters of hypocrisy.
While courtesy is all about embodying politeness, respect, and good manners,
hypocrisy takes a detour into the realm of deceit, lies, and dishonesty.
Picture it like this: courtesy is the VIP section of genuine behavior, while
hypocrisy is the uninvited guest crashing the party with a bag full of
duplicity. Simply put, doing the right thing without the right intentions is a
one-way ticket to the land of the hypocrites.
A moment of silence for Mr. Ourrach, my primary school teacher, may he rest
in peace. He left an indelible mark on my mind with his lesson from the famous
and cherished Iqraa textbook: "Wherever you go, be mindful of your
actions, for the eyes of God are always upon you." Oh, my, what a
textbook! It brimmed with captivating tales of morals and values, weaving a
mosaic of wisdom that resonated with the very essence of life. It wasn't just a
book; it was a treasury of timeless lessons that sparked the imagination and
guided the soul.
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