Evening star., 1928-11-03
SUB ROSA
BY MIMI.
BY MIMI.
Afectation.

Ali of us make point of despising
ffectation-and what we mean by af-
fectation is making fool of oneself
with ridiculous mannerisms, a silly
voice, exaggerated gestures, etc.
We can all recognize that kind of
affectation and we know when to hate
it. Consequently there aren't many fool
ish Young things in the world who dare
to pull that kind of stuff. They know
too we'll that they'll be laughed out OF
court If they dare TO affect new Eng
lish accent, or some cute little French
gestures, or Affiliations a rolling of the
eyes
However affectation persists, for there
is affectation which is not quite so
obvious to the great majority and the
little lady who practices it usually gets
away safe until.
Wen, Just take Doris for example
Her affectation is that of being a great
literary light. She just loves to be
thought "booky" She got the idea from
some story she read and she went in
heavily for being literary lady.
Actually Doris is no more literary
than her nice wire-haired terrier She
is thoroughly bored with a'book which
doesn't begin with good murder and
end with a clinch by the leading male
and female characters in the story.
All real literature leaves her entirely
cold But she affects to be hugely in
terested in every phase of literary work
she cultivates thinking intellec-
tual folk and she's really managed to
get quite a reputation.
Yet this form of affectation is as dam
gerous as any other. For Doris is just
as likely to be found out and ridiculed
as her affected sister who shippers and
giggles and behaves like bad actress
in third-claSS stock company.
For she's only playing a part-only
affecting an interest she doesn't feel.
And the true lover of books is bound to
discover her pose sooner or later. When
that happens she'll be laughed at as
much as any one.
It is so dangerous and so foolish to
affect anything. The safest thing in
the world is to be yourself, to act in
accordance with what you really believe
and to be truthful about yourself to
yourself.
BY sticking to this rule you're secure.
You have nothing to fear from any one.
There isn't a soul in the world who
can unmask you, for you're showing the
world your true face.
Whereas, once you pretend even for
a few minutes that you're something
.other than your true self, you've started
a game that you can't stop.
1t is hopeless to adopt pose for
brief while and then throw it over when
it gets too much for you. That sort
of thing attracts as much unfavorable
comment and ridicule as the most blat-
ant affectations in the world.
And if you continue to pretend
you're in an insecure position. Any one
may find out, discover your bluff and
make your name laughing stock.
Make friends by showing people your
true self. Don't be afraid to do that.
When you've laid all your cards on
the table and been accepted as friend
you have nothing to fear That friend
ship will endure because it's founded on
everything that is real in you.
If you make friend because you've
adopted a rather successful pose, you'll
be out of luck one of these days. Af-
fectations may help you to make con-
versation once in a while-but they
won't help you to gain any of the
worthwhile things in life-true friend
ship and true love.
(Copyright, 1929