Chapter 81
When Fake It Till You Make It Backfires
NOT TO COUNTERFEIT BEING SICK There is an epigram in Martial, and one of the very good ones—for he has of all sorts—where he pleasantly tells the story of Caelius, who, to avoid making his court to some great men of Rome, to wait their rising, and to attend them abroad, pretended to have the gout; and the better to colour this anointed his legs, and had them lapped up in a great many swathings, and perfectly counterfeited both the gesture and countenance of a gouty person; till in the end, Fortune did him the kindness to make him one…
Public-domain chapter text, formatted for reading.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Track Your Performance Patterns
List three roles or behaviours you 'perform' regularly—at work, at home, or socially. For each one, identify whether this performance is moving you toward who you want to become or away from it. Consider both positive performances (acting confident when you're not) and negative ones (playing helpless to avoid responsibility).
Consider:
- •Notice which performances feel automatic versus deliberate
- •Consider how others respond to your performances and reinforce them
- •Think about which masks might be becoming your actual face
Journaling Prompt
Write about one performance you've been maintaining that might be shaping you in ways you don't want. What would happen if you stopped this performance tomorrow?
Master this chapter. Complete your experience
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
You Might Also Like
Lessons from The Essays of Montaigne
Theme-by-theme analyses that connect this book to modern life skills.
Deep diving the literary elements.
