Who Am I If Nobody is Looking?
Speaker walks into centre of the stage, and stands still. A spotlight shines on them.
Speaker: Who are we when no one is looking? Are we more pure, less ashamed, more ourselves than ever? Are the things we do alone in our room, far away from the judgement that surrounds us in every day life, the true us?
Speaker starts to walk around
Some might say yes. That the version of ourselves that we hide from the rest of the world, is the only true version of us. I guess I can understand. It’s my private thoughts, the feelings that I don’t show to even the most closest friend, and the anger that I shun from my foes, but yet.
Yet, this can’t really be me?
Speaker sits down on a chair
I mean, I’ve spent this time away from anyone but my family, and I have to admit, I’m not a big fan. I’ve been reclusive and lazy. I’ve avoided texts and calls. I’ve forgotten what it means to talk to people. To laugh. To pat a friend on the back and say good joke.
I haven’t had to filter out my thoughts to appeal to the audience I’m with, whether it’s biting my tongue to stop me from calling them out for being a disgrace, or simply saying I enjoyed a show when in reality, I turned it off within minutes. I’ve had time to find new arguments, new ideals, a newer, cleaner version of me.
But does all of that matter? Does it matter that my views are sharpened and informed, and that I finally, finally have a grasp on myself after so long of chasing smoke, if no one else knows? What good does reading a thousand books make if you never use that information?
The answer is nothing. You by yourself is not the real you any more than you wth your friends are. They exist together, one empty without the other. For a tree falling in the middle of an empty forest makes no sound, and neither would you.
