Sun Tzu Was Right—But Society Weaponized Deception
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu famously wrote, "All warfare is based on deception." What was once a tactical principle for outmaneuvering enemies has now become the default setting for everyday social interaction. And let’s be honest—modern society hasn’t just adopted deception; it’s turned it into a grotesque parody of itself.
These days, deception isn’t strategy—it’s just being fake. A convincing smile, rehearsed small talk, hollow compliments—people wear friendliness like a cheap mask, and I’m tired of pretending it doesn’t make me sick. Every time some acquaintance comes up with performative warmth, I have to suppress the urge to call them out or spit in their face. But what’s the point? If I started confronting every fake interaction, I’d exhaust myself before lunch.
Johnny Silverhand from Cyberpunk: 2077 Phantom Liberty nailed it: "Trained sociopaths, pretending to be your friends when they fuckin’ ain’t." That’s the world we live in—a place where people huddle in groups, playing pretend while secretly calculating what they can extract from each other. Fake smiles are the Trojan horses of selfish agendas. And honestly? I refuse to play along. My face doesn’t do forced smiles, which, ironically, disqualifies me from customer service jobs. Fine by me—win/win.
Maybe it’s the Scorpio in me, my internal lie detector is always scanning. When someone approaches, my first thought is: "WTF do you want?" Save me the time and energy—cut the bullshit and get to the point. Most of the time, the act doesn’t match the intent anyway.
Now, let’s check the mirror: Have I ever been fake? I’ll say no—not out of arrogance, but because I’ve been on the receiving end of betrayal enough times to know how corrosive it is. I’d rather be labeled "negative," "anti-social," or "cold" than waste energy on hollow performances. Truth, receipts, and direct confrontation keep the fakes at bay. Their act can’t survive in the light.
So go ahead—keep it "real" (real fake) with each other. But remember the snake in the picture: pretty, colorful, hypnotic… until it sinks its fangs into you. And what does it do after? Moves on to the next victim. Some people never learn—they’ll crawl back for more venom, convinced this time will be different.
Not me. I’ll be over here, in my corner—and staying the hell away from the charade.
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