This question has set up residence in the mind of Emelina because of a discussion in Understanding Theatre class. We've been talking about The Misanthrope, by Moliere.
Do you think it is better to pretend to be friends with someone and pretend to care about them when really you're thinking "shut up, i don't care" when you talk to them? Is it better that someone thinks they have friends and that they're interesting, even if they're not? Or is it better to always tell the truth, even if it means hurting people's feelings?
I think I can identify more with Alceste - he thinks that you should always be truthful, even if it hurts someones feelings. It is excrutiating to find out later [which in real life eventually happens] that someone really didn't care when you had thought that they did. I prefer honesty. If you have an issue with me, just tell me. I'll get over it a lot faster than if you pretend like nothing is wrong and then I have to find out later or from someone else. Alceste is a lot more devastated when he finds out Celimene's true feelings than I think he would have been if they had been told at the beginning. [of course, then there would be no drama]
However, like Celimene, I find it extremely difficult to live out this principle - it's hard to tell someone that you don't care. Maybe you don't want to bring it up because you think you're probably wrong, and you're trying to start caring. Or maybe you mildly enjoy playing people. I think for Celimene, it is a combination of both. I can understand her thinking, though. In our sinful obsession for attention from other people, sometimes we'd rather accept the later hurt in order to live a lie for a while.
It's an interesting thing to have Theatre turn into Psychology...
What do you think?
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