Don’t believe everything you hear.
I often catch myself asking “Really?” whenever anyone tells me something of certain importance. It’s not that I don’t believe them, it’s just that maybe I don’t.
When I was little, I assumed everyone was telling the truth. I wasn’t jaded by experiences gone awry. In third grade, one of my classmates told me that her dad was the coach of the Chicago Bulls and I said “Wow!” not “Really?”. What has changed?
I am not a person that people set out to deceive. I haven’t suffered from people being untrue to me. I don’t have any reason to believe that people are not going to tell me the truth, because I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who do (tell me the truth). So what has made me this way?
I guess now that I’m growing older, I am supposed escape the trappings of being gullible. But if there wasn’t deception, the concept of being gullible wouldn’t even exist – so really it’s not my problem if I am gullible because the concept itself depends on something else that is anyone elses’ fault. So there.
Seriously, though, it is interesting. I think it is really about understanding. If we left deception (big and small) behind, then where would we be? I think we would arrive at a feeling of greater self-worth. For instance, I saw this TV show where wealthy people went out and found people in need and wrote them a large check. Every time, the people receiving the gift of money asked, “Really? For me?” And I think, why not you?! You’re worth it!
So maybe it would be a positive move to start believing everything we hear. Or at least to loosen up the filter a bit so as to let a little bit more through (we of course should still try to sidestep being completely ignorant).
Hmm…really?
