Book - Black and White

黑與白
Truths and lies, are they separated only by a thin line?

A person’s courage to tell lies over truth is often stronger and audacious.  So the ability to fib is inborn? I believe it is definitely not so.

Babies cry when born because even before their eyes are open, their butts get slapped. You slap me, I cry. Very fair! I’m hungry, need milk. I can’t speak so I cry. Very straightforward! Learning to speak: can only gibber ‘ma’, nothing else. So what? Very honest! At walking stage, learns to walk. When sees something I like; I laugh. When dislikes; I cry. Who scares of who? Very brave indeed! That’s how it should be. So genuine, so realistic, so adorable! But, don’t know when, someone will appear who teaches not to do this, not to speak thus. Let me clarify first, that very person is not teaching you to lie, only that, by doing this will ease your way.

I believe this is them showing their love and affection for you. What is sad is that the previously simple and honest thoughts are now colored with a great deal of gray. The thought processing has become inexplicably complicated. And spoken words are now more reserved. Thus the heart and mouth are not in tune with each other. But then, this can be said to be a good thing or maybe it can be said to be maturation.

Of course, if discreetly and aptly applied, this is a sophisticated set of social skills in human interactions. But what if it is not?

Actually, for me, truths and lies are mutually exclusive. Regardless of how beautiful a lie is or how cruel a truth is: a lie, say it a trillion times, is still a lie; whereas a truth, though unspoken, is still the reality.

Of course, if the truth is concealed out of kindness, I won’t call it a lie. But those spoken to gain power, or fame, or for personal agenda, or for cover-up, then I call it despicable and terrible.

So, who taught you to become so honestly beautiful? And who taught you to become so despicably ugly?

So, actually, black and white is really quite beautiful!

pp106 – 107