Find Someone's True Self by Rejecting a Request

Kay
May 22nd, 2023

The begger is humble, for their behaviour may grant them a desire. When there’s nothing to gain or lose, then you will see how people truly behave



I walked towards the supermarket and near the entrance was a beggar. This is nothing surprising, it’s a common scene these days. As per usual, I would ignore them and continue my shopping. However, this day a beggar asked me to buy something for him. He started off very polite, very reserved and humble. “Hi, excuse, could you please buy something inside the supermarket for me…” His body language was pleading, although standing up, he kept himself low, almost like a bow as he was speaking. Before he got into his reason, I cut him off and said “sorry, I can’t do that.”

  His entire demeanor instantly changed. Gone was the meek, quiet, and trying to act as pleasant beggar. Now, it was the aggressive beggar, “Why the fuck not?” he yelled. How amusing just how quickly he changed. How amusing how entitled he was. Why should anyone help anyone else where there’s no connections or relations? Why did he believe he was so entitled that I should fork out my finite funds for his needs? Even more so when there’s government funded homeless shelters and food in there. In that moment, after my rejection, and possibility many other rejections, his true self appears.

  If someone has something to gain by acting in a certain way, it’s not their true selves. Like the advice to watch how others treat waiters to judge them. Even if we treated a waiter like shit, they would still need to serve us regardless, after all, that’s what they’re getting paid for. Nobody has anything to gain by treating a waiter well or badly.

  So if you wanted to find out someone’s true self, observe how they handle rejection from someone where they have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Observe how they dress, act and react when asking for that request. Compare that with a baseline of how they usually act to others and then we can see just what type of person they truly are.



Although, do this with much caution, ignorance is bliss after all. Do you really want to know which of your friends treat non-important like shit? Especially when, in your mind, they’re a “nice” person? Do you really want to know exactly what would happen if you became that non-important person? Nobody wants fake friends, even more so if they’re well hidden. But what if all your friends are fake, what if you have zero “real” friends. All because you wanted to test people and see what they’re truly like.

  People need their own privacy. Workplaces talk a lot of bring your “authentic” self in and this is the dumbest marketing scheme of the century. People are weird, they’re strange in so many different ways and sometimes, it’s better to know their front and keep it that way. A friend of yours might be perfectly fine to hang out with, until you realise they’re a hardcore anti-waste person and just dumpster dived for food before meeting you. Sometimes, it’s best not to know someone’s weird and wacky authentic self and just know the person they show you. As long as they’re not taking advantage of you, then ignorance is bliss my friend.