Comments on: Why Faking It Can be Soul-destroying

By: Aaron Agassi

Aaron Agassi — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:07:02 +0000

http://www.FoolQuest.com/fooltrek_faq/fooltrek_faq_II_b_honesty.htm

By: Daniel Brenton

Daniel Brenton — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:54:13 +0000

Mary –

I did not think you intended your image to be a reference to “Anonymous.” The idea never crossed my mind.

In fact, for all we know, these may just be a handful of Guy Fawkes Wannabes.

Daniel

By: Mary Jaksch

Mary Jaksch — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 02:08:20 +0000

Hi Daniel!
You say: “I suspect the fine young men in masks in your photo are members of the “Anonymous” movement protesting Scientology.”

I had no idea of that. I just choose the image because I was looking for one with masks

By: Daniel Brenton

Daniel Brenton — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:20:23 +0000

Appreciate the message. I suspect I know the motivational speaker you're talking about. I agree 100%. However, I suspect the fine young men in masks in your photo are members of the "Anonymous" movement protesting Scientology. Even if they aren't, whenever I see a Guy Fawkes mask any more, I think of them. In my mind this skews the message, but that may just be me. I wrote a piece some time ago where I critiqued one of The Secret bunch for just this same ego flaw by dissecting one of his/her blog posts, and a rather strong discussion ensued. There are probably some folks who aren't going to get this no matter what. Daniel Brentons last blog post..Gratitude Watch - 2008-11-07

By: rolf

rolf — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:34:10 +0000

I guess faking can be used as a technique in some situations. But basing your whole life on faking can have some drawbacks…
1-Eventually your fear catches up, and in a SECOND… the stilghtest trigger will turn the fairy tale into a nightmare… Then you have to face the fear head on… but if you fail.. you’ll be back where you started… leaving others heartbroken in your wake
2-Faking something to get it is assuming that you know what is good for you. Most of the times this will be dicated by society (pretty wife, nice house, etc…)… that takes off some of the charm in life, life being a journey unique to every person. If you are yourself maybe you will attract what is good for you. And I dont mean be your defensive self, I mean be your real self and take risks.

By: Carmen

Carmen — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:17:49 +0000

I believe that you can use positive affirmations, but be realistic about it. For example: If you want to lose weight you could say to yourself: I have the ability to lose the weight and I can lose it if I work really hard at it. Than set positive, healthy practices in place and do your best to stick to them. If you falter on any given day, just pick yourself up and start over. This way you are being truthful with yourself and working to meet your goals.

By: Martin

Martin — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 07:46:12 +0000

I can see your point that fake people are hard to be around. But I never taught this quote to encourage fakeness. I took it to mean that sometimes the mind mimicks the feelings that the body displays. In other words if I act happy, then eventually the mind will feel happy. I guess it all depends on the context the quote is used in. p.s Your writing is very thoughts provoking. I like it. Martins last blog post..The Mind Body Connection

By: aris

aris — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:25:23 +0000

“Fake it until you make it” usually means a method that can help you get started with change, not a prescription for a lifestyle.
It is no more soul-destroying than method acting.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:05:31 +0000

I don’t think of it as faking it- if I’m not feeling kind and compassionate, if I don’t have the energy or the stability to be genuinely in the moment with someone, I like that I can still choose to react with consideration. We aren’t just how we feel, or what we’re thinking. We’re defined by our actual responses as well, no matter how “authentic” the motivating force behind them.
I’m not saying that faking a smile is always right, but there are times when faking a smile is not falsely declaring something you don’t really feel, but recognising that we can be carried through by determination even if we don’t feel joyful.
To me, fake it till you make it just seems like a rewrite of being the change we wish to see.

By: PeaceLoveJoyBliss

PeaceLoveJoyBliss — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:21:28 +0000

Hi Mary, per your request, let me explain the passage you quoted.

When I embrace the declaration, “I am honest”, I also embrace what is light and positive, because honesty is in harmony with the positivity of light (i.e., the positivity of light for the sake of truth). However, because we live in a universe of dualities (hot, cold; warm, cool; light, dark; real, fake, etc.), any perception of one must necessarily be accompanied or realized through another.

Now, let’s take honesty. In order for you to be honest, you must also know what it means to be dishonest. If, however, you resist your experience of dishonesty for the sake of honesty, then your experience of dishonesty will persist (“whatever you resist will persist”). I would go further: unless you can be dishonest, unless you’ve been dishonest, you can never really appreciate the value of honesty.

And so I declare, spiritually (not morally): “I am dishonest”. I take ownership of my capacity for dishonesty and my ability to be dishonest. In doing so, I am always at choice about whether to be dishonest or not in any given situation.

But isn’t being dishonest always bad? Clearly not. For example, if someone confronts me with a gun, threatening to blow my head off, and asks me which way person X went, I can choose to be dishonest and feel good about my choice.

Debbie Ford, in her book, The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, clearly shows how it is in our best interests to give the shadow side of ourselves its due when chasing after the light.

Am I a fake? Yes. Am I real? Yes.

Blessings,
Christopher