Has this happened to you?
You’re at a party, and a friend is about to introduce you to someone, who you’ve already met before. You tell your friend, mid-introduction, that you’ve met so and so before, to which said person being introduced responds with a blank stare, acting like she has no recollection of your first meeting over a week ago, although you had a full blown conversation.
I was first introduced to this maneuver of acting like you don’t know somebody in college. -not surprising considering that 18-21 age frame marks the height of insecurities. Over the years, I’ve seen less and less of this game but regardless, it still happens and it’s annoying as hell!
I can understand some people not genuinely remembering a brief exchange a year ago but I can instantly tell when someone is faking the funk and just feigning ignorance for the sake of I-don’t-know-what. To those people, like someone I had this experience with about a month ago, I communicate just how I clearly I see through their bullshit via a glare that says “Oh really, I know your lame A$$ is just playing a game, but it’s obvious you’re just trying to play cool.”
The glare disarms them instantly. Why? Because they know they are not being true. Over the years, I’ve devised different tactics from just playing along to just correcting them on their error (that usually give them a nice ego boost).
I wonder about fake folks all the time: How are they so committed to keeping up appearances 24/7? How does it benefit them to act like they don’t know somebody? Did they just watch too many movies about how to act cool?
It’s a wonder why people choose the road of less authenticity.
I used to get angry at this game but I’ve come to understand that those who play this game are just suffering from lack of self-esteem and an overabundance of insecurity. When I brought up this situation to a friend, he spun it in a different way. “They just don’t want to be the one to admit that you may not remember them,” he said. Actually, Drake expressed it best in the lyrics for Aston Martin Music.
Reintroduced to people I’ve been introduced to
Did you forget me? Or are you too scared to tell me that you met me
And fear that I won’t remember
It is an interesting dynamic to say the least. Usually, when I meet someone I’ve met before, I relish in re-engaging that established connection rather than analyzing how I should play the meeting so that it would affect my imaginary social standing. You see where I’m going with this, right?
So for all those who play this petty game, please stop. Trust me, being real will take you much farther in life than trying to manipulate social situations. Let go of all your high-school and college illusions and start living in this world of authenticity. All you’re doing by faking the funk is showing your true colors of insecurity. Once you let go of trying to impress others and buffering your ego, you’ll be much more comfortable in your own skin. Trust me, you’ll thank me for it.
*Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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