I've always been fascinated by Japanese culture, partially because of my teenage fascination with anime and partially because I agree with so much of it. If there was one particular part of Japanese culture I liked the most, it would be the mask, persona, facade, or "cat." (The literal translation of the Japanese term would be to wear a cat - as in acting cute when you're really cunning.) This not only reflects my personal belief on human relation but it's also the one I find the most attractive with my favourite characters using this trait perfectly. Now people always complain that people are "fake" or are hiding their true emotions and have a hard time figuring out people that act one way while thinking another, but the mask isn't something created in order to scam people, it's created to avoid hurting others. This may be a bit hard to grasp so I'll break it down a little. Before we go there though, I'll explain my way of thinking and my personality a little so everything will fit it easier.
My personality is extremely quirky and strange. No one knows this fact better than me, however, this acknowledgement also lets me know what a person considers ideal and match that too. It's this third-person view of myself that lets me change, adapt and more than anything, see the best possible route that I can take. This always leads me into problems because most people have issues seeing the best route and don't notice because they're too focused on what they want. I exasperate people because I purposely make bad decisions. It's the most hilarious irony that exists in my decision-making. This is the trait that drives my parents insane and makes me an enigma to anyone who expects me to act rationally and logically, because that's how they perceive me. Yet, it's this same trait that makes me equally annoyed at other people. This is because my maturity and common sense is at times far beyond what I do and say. This is a very hypocritical statement because I spend my time watching playing games and doing things that won't always leave me in a positive light. Again as I mentioned before, I purposely make bad decisions, I know that these are bad things to be doing, but I avoid making good decisions. This is exactly my problem - I judge the world by my standards, the problem is, very few people match my maturity and common sense beliefs.
For example, something I will not understand the use of alcohol as a means for having fun - not in the sense of a hobby. I actually have nothing against people who drink alcohol as a hobby because they enjoy it - however, when it becomes more than a hobby and is now a requirement rather than a choice, it ceases to be a mature option. Alcohol like gambling can be a good, manageable hobby but nearly all people don't have the necessary self-control to keep it in reasonable levels and should therefore be avoided by most, but people don't have the common sense to recognize it. This leads into the second topic, the lack of common sense people have. I don't mean a temporary lack of common sense that happens to all of us once in a while, I mean that they don't understand it in the first place.
A perfect example is the person I respect the most in this aspect but can't seem to overcome emotions to use it. Most people can't make logical decisions when angry, so it should be common sensical to avoid making decisions when emotional. But it seems for other people who aren't me, taking a step back, cooling off emotions and then making decisions is not possible. However, as long as you regret it afterwards, it shouldn't be a problem - the issue is the fact that people don't realize that their actions are outrageous, obnoxious or downright mindless. Simple things like not questioning what you have no right to know, acting self-righteous when it's none of your business or simply pushing your luck when it's clearly not right to do so. Considering the opinions of others and to realize that you judge others by actions and yourself by intent, are all small things people don't do. All these things annoy me, they berate me and more than anything, they make me want to avoid it entirely. And I do when necessary, but in life there comes a time when you have to deal with these people and the best way to do it is to avoid making a fuss, avoiding creating problems and just pretending to fit in - with the facade.
And this is the facade I wear, the person who blends into the situation, hiding true emotions for the sake of not overloading with stress, but dealing with these people is stressful in itself. However, in order to be successful in work, education or social situations, for quirky people like myself, a facade is not just a good tool, it's a necessity.
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