As we head into a changed world of forced online existences, knowing how to spot certain lies will be an essential skill that members of a new generation can’t afford to do without.
I will use this photo for an example.
Let’s pretend that I intend to share this photo, with a newly found online friend, layered with a lie..
( The Actual Truth=to oblige a new friend’s request that I post an updated photo within the contents of this diary.
To disguise my reluctance and a personal disappointment—
that most photos translate my face as being more along the line of “daydreaming puppet” than “desirable maiden”.
—I immediately set about creating a topic to complement this mug shot-as sort of hinted “apology” for the reader wondering how vain this puppet could possibly be, to stick its face upon the page in such dimensions)
Let’s pretend that with my posting of this pic, I told him or her that ..
“A friend just happened to catch me unawares”
The natural assumption being that I was simply sitting and staring off into the blue skies, while thinking deep and engaging thoughts. Sigh.
To my repeated objections, I would say to my new friend, the photo was snapped anyway.
“Oh drats!”
I would remark to my new friend,
“I SO hate having my photo taken, I’m truly not that vain. Really. Ugh, what some people might think. I really wished she would have asked me first”
Per nearly thirty years of online experience and general knowledge of people, I can conclude this hypothetical conversation with my new friend responding with…
“Ohh yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I’m the exact same way and have the same problems.”
Done.
With a couple of plastic chuckles from either ends of the screens, I get away with telling a fib to a new associate, without exposing the truth of my being one of the most vain puppets to ever hand-hop my way across the lands.
Upon magnified inspection, it’s easy to see that I was lying.
In the reflections captured in my eyes.
It is a trivial detail concerning an even more trivial mistruth.
However, in a world where countless individuals are seeking true companionship from folks who share their interests and ideas, these passed twenty years have offered up much too many false starts, dashed hopes and revolving doors of disappointments borne from our chronic online fibbery.
Sometimes, the lie is presented straight off the bat, with the profile picture or other introductory photos.
Sometimes, all one has to do is magnify those photos, concentrating on the reflections in the eyes, to instantly discover such lies.
Take for example, someone insists that they’re hiking in the mountains or at some other exotic or exciting location. You should see the tiny images of mountains and trees…not a quarter shot of a busted bathroom doorway or the golden arches of some fast food place.
Or (as was illustrated above) someone insists that “someone” else took the photo or utters some other casual expression about it being “anything but a selfie”…there should be no shadows of any arm or camera, reflecting back at you from within the merry glinting eyeholes of your new liar buddy.
Whether we get swept along to the tune of malevolent forces, keeping us restricted to monitored and manipulated online interactions for companionship, or whether we triumph to eradicate the poison, thus enjoying what will be a much richer and fuller online world, it doesn’t matter.
Small details matter where small lies can lurk within new introductions online.
If not in the reflections of magnified eyes, then in other teensy details which may give someone away; rubber ducks and fuzzy slippers left in the digital background of a “bachelor” who insists that no wife or family exists.
Snow drifts and icicles spotted in between the slats of a window that is supposed to be located in a tropical paradise.
The cut off images of a fifty-gallon drum and handcuffs in the living room (??) pic, sent to you by a wild eyed someone- just daring you to meet her IRL so that you can confirm whether she’s really a Sunday school teacher or not. (BTW.. please DON’T)
Pay close attentions, no detail can be considered “too insignificant”.
Not in these days, where our very “leaders” and “authorities” are diseased, head to hoof, with weeping sores of misrepresentation.
And most certainly, not before we finally arrive on the steps of that long awaited updated society where respect, intimacy and general happiness will make their returns in the best of ways and to ultimate degrees.
There’ll be no room for carrying old habits of bumbling and automatic trust …if we want to keep it that way.
Photo by.. you know who
Ramsy's Joint 