Lohbado's Lesson: let's pretend

ink on paper

Theater... let’s pretend to have a meaningful conversation. Let’s pretend to be in love. Let’s pretend to be having a good time. Let’s pretend to be getting the glow on. Oogah!


Lohbado thought about the gap between how a person talks and what the person actually communicates. The other day, a person said, just as he had said many times before, how much he would like to have a conversation with Lohbado. But each time Lohbado saw the person, no conversation happened. The person avoided Lohbado, to ensure that they wouldn’t talk. Towards the end of the encounter, the person would say how much he would like to have a conversation with Lohbado. Perhaps the next time for sure they could sit down and have a heart to heart chat. This is an example of theatre, the theatre of pretending to want to have a meaningful conversation.

    What counts is the buzz, the little twinkle or glow of sentiment as one states an intention or aspiration. Even while stating an intention, the person knows that he or she has no such intention, other than to experience the brief good feeling of talking in such a manner. One could gush sugary friendliness that does not extend beyond one’s craving for a personal high. One could pretend to be excited about the other person, when in fact, one couldn’t care less. This would explain why the sugary sensation of friendliness quickly turns to animosity at the least flicker of disagreement. Zero tolerance for difference is a rule of the game.