<p>In the movie Jodhaa Akbar, Emperor Akbar moves among his subjects in disguise. He acquaints himself with their concerns so that he can redress their grievances. </p>.<p>I recently watched something similar in a video on a social media platform. As a woman mops the office floor, her co-workers are either rude and haughty or kind and polite in their interaction with her. The cleaner turns out to be the CEO, who has gone incognito to check on her employees. When she reveals her identity, she denounces discourtesy and rewards respect. </p>.<p>Such inspirational impersonations, with feel-good finales, tend to be fanciful. In real life, people seem to be what they are not, and the key word is ‘seem’. Those indulging in masquerades rarely do so with the aim of helping others; in fact, quite the reverse. Nor do they require a change of costume to delude and defraud. They need only pretend to be well-intentioned.</p>.<p>Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which delves into human nature, depicts this dichotomy between actuality and appearance. In the play, Lady Macbeth urges her husband to kill King Duncan, who will soon be their guest, but warns him to behave like a genial host. “Look like the innocent flower,” she tells him, “but be the serpent under it.” Later, Lady Macbeth welcomes the king with blatant insincerity.</p>.<p>Ironically, Duncan has experienced betrayal earlier. “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face,” he says sadly, speaking of someone he thought was loyal, but proved to be treacherous. Certain that Macbeth and his wife are true to him, Duncan fails to discern the duplicity beneath their façade of fidelity. </p>.<p>In the many years I have taught Macbeth, my students have invariably been critical of Duncan. How, they ask, could a king let down his guard, and place himself in danger? </p>.<p>It is a question that raises more questions. Do we think that everyone is likely to harm us? Don’t we believe ourselves safe with family and friends? Where does one draw the line between trust and gullibility? We must not be ruled by doubt and suspicion, but neither should we be naïve. In a world where much is misleading, let us be alert and learn to deal with deception.</p>
<p>In the movie Jodhaa Akbar, Emperor Akbar moves among his subjects in disguise. He acquaints himself with their concerns so that he can redress their grievances. </p>.<p>I recently watched something similar in a video on a social media platform. As a woman mops the office floor, her co-workers are either rude and haughty or kind and polite in their interaction with her. The cleaner turns out to be the CEO, who has gone incognito to check on her employees. When she reveals her identity, she denounces discourtesy and rewards respect. </p>.<p>Such inspirational impersonations, with feel-good finales, tend to be fanciful. In real life, people seem to be what they are not, and the key word is ‘seem’. Those indulging in masquerades rarely do so with the aim of helping others; in fact, quite the reverse. Nor do they require a change of costume to delude and defraud. They need only pretend to be well-intentioned.</p>.<p>Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which delves into human nature, depicts this dichotomy between actuality and appearance. In the play, Lady Macbeth urges her husband to kill King Duncan, who will soon be their guest, but warns him to behave like a genial host. “Look like the innocent flower,” she tells him, “but be the serpent under it.” Later, Lady Macbeth welcomes the king with blatant insincerity.</p>.<p>Ironically, Duncan has experienced betrayal earlier. “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face,” he says sadly, speaking of someone he thought was loyal, but proved to be treacherous. Certain that Macbeth and his wife are true to him, Duncan fails to discern the duplicity beneath their façade of fidelity. </p>.<p>In the many years I have taught Macbeth, my students have invariably been critical of Duncan. How, they ask, could a king let down his guard, and place himself in danger? </p>.<p>It is a question that raises more questions. Do we think that everyone is likely to harm us? Don’t we believe ourselves safe with family and friends? Where does one draw the line between trust and gullibility? We must not be ruled by doubt and suspicion, but neither should we be naïve. In a world where much is misleading, let us be alert and learn to deal with deception.</p>
