A life of deception is a life in prison [The philosophy of: People Places Things #2]

Sidenote: There’s a spoiler here.

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So at one point in People Places Things Jemaine Clement’s character (Will) kisses his ex (Charlie), while in a new relationship with a new woman called Diane. He decides to tell her (and says ‘You said you didn’t want any bullshit’, to which she says ‘No, you know, I meant like regular bullshit, not like fucking me even though you still love your ex’.) So he tells, but the girl he kissed –his ex-wife, who’s also in a new relationship– doesn’t tell her partner (because ‘it was just a kiss’).

Diane tells Will to piss off, leaving him broken, empty and alone. But Charlie keeps the secret to herself.

But who here is free? Yeah, Will’s honesty and doing the right things fucks things up completely for him, but Charlie is now living two lies, one with herself and one to her husband-to-be –a lie that most likely will eventually boil over and come out.

And I know it’s just a movie, but this kind of thing is nothing new and happens all the time.

Will, by being honest with himself and to the person he cares about has at least freed himself from being held captive by a secret. And by acknowledging his mistake (something we all make 327,000,000 of in our lives, allows him (and Diane) to start to move on. While Charlie is now living a life, that depending on her mental toughness she can keep away from her partner, until it either comes out straight up, or in other ways.

Life as a lie is not living –especially when others are affected.

It’s the reason cheaters eventually confess. Or criminals turn themselves in. Because the punishment of living a lie, 24 hours a day, eating with it, sleeping with it, is far greater than the punishment than can come from confession. And from confession comes learning, moving on and freedom of the mind –the one freedom we have total control over, 24 hours a day.