Two-Faced
WHILE WRITING ABOUT the meaning of Saving Face, I thought about the words Two-Faced.
It’s an idiom describing someone not to be trusted — deceitful, double-dealing, insincere, backstabbing, fake.
What a way to live!
Being two-faced is a choice. We see it in movies, read about it in books. It exists in politics, business, cultures, relationships, and we know people in our lives who are like this. It’s a particular worldview and attitude people choose to be two-faced, believing they are taking care of themselves by fooling a world they may not like or trust.
Truth, kindness, honor don’t seem to matter as much as being deceitful.
When I look at myself, I see this possibility and can give examples where I, unfortunately, acted this way. It doesn’t make it right, but it’s something I learn from and live with and know that being two-faced does not stand for me and how I want to live.
We all have two sides — two selves — two faces. We can be kind and mean — ethical and unjust — giving and selfish — benevolent and ruthless —
respectful and contemptuous — two-faced or one way.
It’s a choice of how you want to lead your life and how you want people to see you.
How important is it to you to live with honor and a conscious hope to have a positive, good effect on other people?
Thanks — Michael (he, him)
