Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Andtobuildtrustyouhavetobehonest.Thatmeanswhenthingssuck,yousaysoopenlyandwithoutapology.People’sdisplaysofunpleasanthonestywererewardedforthesimplefactthattheywerenecessaryforsurvival—youhadtoknowwhomyoucouldrelyonandwhomyoucouldn’t,andyouneededtoknowquickly.

           But,inthe“free”West,myRussianteachercontinued,thereexistedanabundanceofeconomicopportunity—somucheconomicopportunitythatitbecamefarmorevaluabletopresentyourselfinacertainway,evenifitwasfalse,thantoactuallybethatway.Trustlostitsvalue.Appearancesandsalesmanshipbecamemoreadvantageousformsofexpression.Knowingalotofpeoplesuperficiallywasmorebeneficialthanknowingafewpeopleclosely.

           ThisiswhyitbecamethenorminWesternculturestosmileandsaypolitethingsevenwhenyoudon’tfeellikeit,totelllittlewhiteliesandagreewithsomeonewhomyoudon’tactuallyagreewith.Thisiswhypeoplelearntopretendtobefriendswithpeopletheydon’tactuallylike,tobuythingstheydon’tactuallywant.Theeconomicsystempromotessuchdeception.

           Thedownsideofthisisthatyouneverknow,intheWest,ifyoucancompletelytrustthepersonyou’retalkingto.Sometimesthisisthecaseevenamonggoodfriendsorfamilymembers.ThereissuchpressureintheWesttobelikablethatpeopleoftenreconfiguretheirentirepersonalitydependingonthepersonthey’redealingwith.