Façade

In the first part of his book Historia da igreja do Japão (History of the Church of Japan), João Rodrigues noted that:

“[The Japanese people] are so crafty in their hearts that nobody can understand them. Whence it is said that they have three hearts: a false one in their mouths for all the world to see, another within their breasts only for their friends, and the third in the depths of their hearts, reserved for themselves alone and never manifested to anybody.”

This quote somehow today is regarded as a Japanese saying, and it goes something like this:

“[The Japanese] say you have three faces. The first face, you show to the world. The second face, you show to your close friends, and your family. The third face, you never show anyone. It is the truest reflection of who you are.”

What they are talking about is how we, as humans, are always putting on a façade. Do you find it weird that there are so many versions of you that exist in other people’s mind? Some may find you as that introvert who doesn’t talk much. Others may think you’re annoying and never shut up. Some people may think you’re cold and mean, while others may think you’re caring and loving.

The question, is: do you care? The bigger question is, why do you care?