The other day, I saw the movie Liar Liar starring Jim Carrey with my daughter. What a
great movie and what a performance by Jim Carrey – the best! There is a particular
scene in that movie that touched me and also spoke to me about a particular aspect of
human nature and that’s what this post is about.
In that movie, those who saw it would know – that Jim Carrey’s character cannot lie for a
day because his son’s birthday wish comes true. So whatever words or sentences that
come of his mouth are essential true statements only. The movie establishes early on
that Jim Carrey loves his son and dotes on him, but he struggles to find time to spend
with his son and often breaks promises to his son, etc.
So during this day when can’t speak a lie, he somehow manages to get through the day
by speaking truth only and in one scene where he is very frustrated that he couldn’t see
his son due to some reason, he says out loud “I am a bad father!” and then immediately
his expression changes as he realizes that the fact that he could utter those words
means that it is true – that he is a bad father! He repeats those words a couple of times
to just let that emotion sink in.
This is a key moment in the movie – this realization of his and more importantly his surprise of it – which tells us that he had always thought of himself as a good father but in that moment he realizes that he was lying to himself!
Which bring me to the main point – how much do we lie to ourselves about ourselves?
Do we tell ourselves that we are something which we are in fact not? Why do we do
that? to avoid pain? to pacify our ego? Because it’s convenient to us? There is a
difference between you thinking that you are a good friend versus you being a good
friend. What makes you think you are a good friend? What’s your proof? What did you
do to show that? And like that there can be several examples – you thinking that you are
a creative person, you thinking that you are a good son/daughter, a good singer (your
poor audience! :)), someone with a helpful nature, etc.
Let’s work on being honest with ourselves. Let’s not fool ourselves. Even if the honesty
is a little painful, that pain will be temporary and the feeling that you are being honest
with yourself will be more permanent.