This is an article I wrote up for... something. This ended ended up going unpublished for... some reason. I really don't know! Doesn't matter now, because it now makes a cool, word-count-inflating blog post! <3
On Fakeness
“Fake.” The very word itself is a pain to the ears, regardless of the context. Whether discussing the last street vendor who tried to sell you some cheap, factory-made trinket for an overblown price, or the last girlfriend who had blown away her facade and revealed herself to be a boor, it is a given that when the topic comes up, various, it always comes up with a hint of venom laced in it.
When one is confronted with the prospect of anything or anyone fake, the instant reactions would most probably be either of the two: a) a look of revolt with a vehement “Yuck” comment closely tailing behind; or b) a passing smirk echoing with screams of “cheap!”
But what exactly does “fake” mean for the common Filipino? And more importantly, what does it mean to be a “fake person?” What are the things that make up a “fake person”, and how does somebody stand out as a “fake?”
Before the topic of “fake people” can be discussed at length, is important to discuss what “fake” means as a word means. According to thefreedictionary.com, “Fake” can be used in three different ways: as a noun, as an adjective, and as a verb. As a verb, it involves the following:
1. to cause (something inferior or not genuine) to appear more valuable, desirable, or real by fraud or pretence
2. to pretend to have (an illness, emotion, etc.) to fake a headache.
3. (Performing Arts / Theater) to improvise (music, stage dialogue, etc.)
As a noun, it refers to a sham; something false. As an adjective it is something –or somebody– fraudulent, i.e. a fake passport, fake gold, or a fake person.
The use of fakes as a means of exchange or currency is well-known in human society. In the case of fake items, or imitations as they are called, they are generally cheaper to acquire than authentic or original ones. What’s more, the best ones are usually of passable quality, or even on par with the original. For example: a new pair of “original” Nike shoes would cost no less than P5000 in an SM mall, whereas a “Grade-A” imitation in a Divisoria stand, or in Greenhills department store would cost only half that much, or even less depending on the buyer’s bargaining ability.
As such, a flourishing industry of fake goods has sprung up in local tiangges and market places everywhere. The most famous example of such an industry is the one centered around Divisoria and Binondo (Note: The former is a part of the latter, which is a Manila district where cheap import goods are peddled); almost all the products there are either local, or China-made imitations of original Western brands. Fake DVDs, shoes, bags, clothes and even food products can be found everywhere in that sector of Manila.
In the case of money, the aim of using counterfeits, or fake money in laymen’s terms, involves deception and trickery. Since sensible establishment would willingly and knowingly take counterfeit money in place of authentic money, skillful exchanges and even a bit of flattery and friendly conversation must take place. But laws nowadays have tightened measures on how to prevent people from using counterfeit money; public awareness brought on by the media has taught tellers, clerks and customer-service representatives how to inspect money before taking them. These, and other measures have restricted the use of counterfeits in recent years.
However, the facet of the “fake” that is to be discussed here is that of the most common: the fake person. This kind of person is somebody that may present fakeness in many varied ways. It could be through the expression of a fake appearance (chiefly by cosmetic surgery); a fake identity (unlawfully changing one’s name or persona to elude arrest or castigation); or fake emotions (ex. shedding “crocodile tears”, or fake tears, to show false bereavement for the death of another person). Whatever the case, this kind of person can come in every shape, size and form; they are entirely unavoidable as a whole. Every single person in the world will, at one point or another, be lied to, or deceived. It can even be said that every person is a fake in one way or another, whether it be faking to be a rich person while actually being poor, or faking a few smiles to hide away one’s inner pain.
The most common way to fake is by “acting.” This involves taking on the persona of another, entirely different person and projecting it before an audience. The aim is to capture the attention and approval of the audience, as well as to convince them of the genuineness of all emotions and expressions displayed. Additionally for me, acting can be divided into two categories: “fake reality” and “real fakeness.”
Our showbiz industry was founded on the demand for the portrayal of “real” emotions and “real” life situations on screen and on television. This is what I mean by “fake reality.” All these character actors and actresses play their roles seriously, and even study them through films and actual observation, so they may be able to get the audience to relate to the predicaments and triumphs their characters “experience.”
One particular example I would like to make is that of the character of Arthur Bach from the 2011 film Arthur, portrayed by Russell Brand. He is a billionaire playboy; spoiled, easygoing, and unconcerned with life in general because he can afford to treat life like a party. When his mother pulled out his constant supply of money and demanded that he marry an unscrupulous and cunning woman to get it back, he immediately agreed. Naturally, any sane person wouldn’t forsake a billion dollars because they were being forced to marry a sexy, intelligent woman; and Arthur was initially part of this club. But then he meets a sweet and lovely tour guide in Grand Central Station in New York, and bit by bit he started to realize that life wasn’t just about money; it was about happiness, and this happiness can only be brought by true and unconditional love. He ended up getting both in the end after showing his willingness to sacrifice all his possessions –even his clothes- to be with the girl of his dreams.
While Brand isn’t a particularly luminous Hollywood star –he is best known as Katy Perry’s husband– it was the character that he portrayed that left an impression on me. Arthur Bach is not Russell Brand, no; but Brand was able to put on Arthur’s persona like a fresh change of clothes and expressed the problems of being a rich man in such a troublesome predicament quite well. By watching how Arthur bumbled around with his life and money, I was, in a way, able to experience what it felt like to be a rich man. This, I believe, is the true essence and value of character acting: drawing empathy from the audience and giving them a taste of what it feels like to be somebody else for an hour and a half.
Of course, this can be a double-edged sword: usually when terrific actors or actresses take on an evil or misunderstood on-screen persona, the quality of their acting burns into the audience’s minds, cementing them as evil and villainous in real life. A prime example would be Cherrie Gil, whose statuesque looks and tough, edgy voice (and the infamous line, “You are nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!”) has earned for her a whole career blessed with villainous roles. And not a few people have dismissed her as being the same in real life, despite the fact that she is said to be friendly and personable.
Then there’s the other kind of fake person I mentioned, the “real fakeness” kind. While the other kind of “fake” was more for entertainment, this one is often used as a weapon of sorts against both friends and enemies. It is a weapon of choice and convenience; whether it be for good purposes or bad (much more often the latter than the former), it is something that carries a large air of negativity. A simple term for such people had been coined in recent years: “Plastic.”
When used against a person, this degrading term is no doubt an insult to that person’s character and identity. It is also something that refers to bad acting of sorts: plastic as a material is often clear-colored and see-through, so that the contents inside a plastic bottle are often laid bare for viewing. In the case of people, a “plastic person” is someone who shows fake friendliness or sympathy towards another, despite the fact that he or she actually harbors bad intentions or opinions. For example: two highschool girls who happen to be secret enemies run into each other down the hallway. Being “plastic people,” they both smile and chat with each other as if they were good friends for a few minutes, even sharing a few compliments and beso-besos with one another. Then, when they had each turned their back and they had each returned to their respective circle of friends, they start talking about how pathetic and stupid the other girl is for things both real and imagined.
As was stated above, “real fakeness” is not entirely negative, although it is understandably open for scrutiny regardless of the intention. In the case of a loved one’s death, there are instances when a grieving person might try to put up a brave face instead of actually breaking down in tears. This is not usually coined as “fakeness” in our culture, although it stands that such displays of emotional strength are still untrue; rather, it is closer to being sympathetic than pretentious. If a widow cries too hard at the funeral of her husband, it would encourage the children and remaining relatives of the family to adopt the thinking that they are helpless without their father. While women are generally more prone to crying than men, a mother would be able to prove her determination to continue running the family if she puts up a brave face for everyone to see.
There are times when fakeness can even save a person’s life. Such displays usually revolve around a show of weakness or submission to someone stronger, hence projecting the fact that he or she is of no threat, and can be left alone. During the Warring States period in Chinese history some 2,200 years ago, there was an armed but wispy young man who was challenged by a larger, stronger bully to either kill him, or crawl between his legs –an insult that would have proven him to be less than a real man. Someone less prudent wouldn’t have thought twice about drawing his sword to fight against any foe, even a dangerous one. But the young man, desiring to achieve great things with his life, thought it wiser to endure humiliation and live for tomorrow. So instead of trying to fight and kill, he swallowed his pride, meekly crawled between the bully’s legs, and got ridiculed for it. Several years later the young man, by then known as the famous and accomplished General Han Xin, returned to his hometown and appointed the man as a lieutenant, calling him a hero for helping him prove the fact that life is far more priceless than personal pride or honor.
This is why I believe that every single person in the world is subject to fakeness every now and then, even the best people we know. Every person, regardless of age, character and occupation, would have to choose his or her spots and situations carefully, depending on the kind of person he or she is with. It is, afterall, a given that too much honesty will inevitably lead to trouble. For example: if an interviewee starts showing off an honest, rambunctious and scandalous side in front of every job interview he has while passing such antics off as “simply being honest to himself”, it would be terribly hard to find a job. Hence, “fakeness” is something that also carries a bit of tact and propriety at times.
To end this essay, I would like to put all of these aside and reflect on the specifics of general human nature. For one, we are a picture of great contrasts: unchangeable yet flexible; unpredictable but assumable; tensile yet breakable. Most people acquire their general traits as babies, and have never looked back since to change themselves; they can only train themselves to tweak something here and there. A weak man can never be completely strong; a boyish girl can never be totally girly. But as far as “fake people” go, the traits, reasons, and types are too diverse to generalize them. If you say that pretentious people are fake, then you would have to include all the people who deny reality for a good reason, or those who strive to change themselves for what they perceive as for better. To be certain, the only surety about them is that there is no way to predict when they’d try to be someone else in front of you.
So the next time that somebody tries to pull a fast one on you, do calm down and remember that it is inherent for human beings to be deceptive, willingly or not. Every person has a reason behind every story, and “fake people” are no different. |
by Satu on December 4th, 2011, 6:40 am 
So glad to see you back! *squeezes*
