Whooooooooo are you?

Jun 30, 2009 02:23


The Japanese have this awesome concept called honne and tatamae.  Honne, which translates roughly to 'the truth',  is what you really want.  It's the unkind urge to smack your whining sister, or to just sleep in another few hours.  Tatamae is your public face - the word means 'facade'.  It's the part that does what it ought to, or what it needs to do to fit in.  Tatamae is what you're expected to do.  Honne and tatamae are the two sides to a person, and they don't always match.  This can be good or bad - let's face it, the things we want to do aren't always so smart, and the things people are forced into socially aren't always so great.

Today's prompt is to tell us about the honne and tatamae of your character.  How big is the gulf between the two?  Why is it shaped like it is?  Does it change according to situation and those around your character?  Does anyone know their secret self, or do they keep all the ugly little soft bits hidden safe?  Do they go to church with Grandma on Easter, even though they're running up and down the pews belting out 'In the Garden of Eden' from the Simpsons in the comfort of their own head?  And how do they feel about the difference between their honne and tatamae, while we're on the topic?

prompts, twosday

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