"(MORE BRUTAL) HONESTY IN FICTION" in "NOTES ABOUT AND TO ANYONE OR NO ONE IN PARTICULAR"

Sometimes, especially these days, some people are more open and honest in the world of fiction. How come? Does that always mean they’re such filthy liars? Does that mean they’re tricksters that must never be trusted?

Some people are like that, indulging themselves in the world of fiction. If it still just involves reading and writing, then it’s all cool. There’s nothing wrong with doing such. It’s all in the name of pure, harmless entertainment.

Obviously, I do that too sometimes. If some people assume that I do this to escape reality, then so be it. Maybe it’s true. Sometimes, I might need that too.

Some people do that out of fear. They feel that they can’t be who they really are inside. Others don’t want them to be. They’re feared and loathed for what and who they really are. They don’t fit in. The others refuse to co-exist with them.

So they end up choosing to be what the world may accept better. It’s much safer that way. They get to avoid the arguments and prosecutions.

The question is, how long can they keep on playing that same damn part, just to please others?

Some other people use fiction for different, more evil reasons. They’re the con artists who truly enjoy what they do. They have no regrets, no remorse. No shame whatsoever, because for them – it’s all about the thrills.

They get all the fun when their victims are done for. They love it when they make other people feel stupid. They feel more superior from it. They also choose to love their made-up characters better, so much better than their own original selves. They’re insecure.

Still, that’s never an excuse to lie to people about who they really are.

These are the days when many might feel that fiction is a lot safer than reality. You can be anyone you want, especially if the real you is loathed by the world.

Fiction is a safe haven. I’m not going to lie to you; even I feel safe there. I don’t get hurt easily. In fact, I can hurt others who have hurt me in real life without really getting them killed for real and then feeling guilty about it.

However, nobody can stay hiding in the world of fiction all the time. Sometimes, you still have to unapologetically and brutally honest.

R.