Sincerity in a Manipulative Person

It is hard to see someone being sincere to us when you are someone with so many self-manipulating track records. When someone tilts their head when listening to my story, I can't get rid of the thought that they did it intentionally just to get my affection. But, probably, they don't. Maybe it was just their natural response because they do want to listen to my story.

Well, can we be sincere? In my case, I draw my goals along a long line. What do I want to be? What do I want to achieve? Who do I have to connect deeply with? If this is the case, can I ever be a sincere person?

I know people who don't have much imagination about themselves. When I ask them about their goals, their ambition, their dreams, and their plans, they don't have much. "I don't know; I'm just living my life. I think we should focus on what is in front of us." They are my close friends in college, and they are one of the sincerest people that I know. Do I have to be like this? Of course not. We are different people with different backgrounds and different goals. I have tried to be like them, but it has left me overwhelmed and razzled with choices and options that must be made with comprehensive consideration. I have to make a decision based on which most benefits my future, right? If sincerity means social interaction with no hidden intention, I left it a long time ago.

However, the good thing is that you can easily find manipulative people. You can be more cautious and selective when choosing someone as a friend to build a good social environment, and skepticism can make it hard to be scammed. If you find a manipulative person in your surroundings, you can just wait and see. What I learned is that a manipulative person isn't a patient and consistent person. Just like a garder who can't wait to pick the fruits but is reluctant to water them every day. Their true intention will be recognized gradually, and you can make decisions based on your perception.

But now, I don't care about sincerity. Maybe I frame the attitude with a shallow understanding. It's like judging red flames as hotter than blue flames because you just learned about color temperature. Hidden intention is normal behavior.

I remembered what one of the Friday sermons said. "It is easy to be a good person because when you intend to do good things, you already get "pahala." However, you are not being a bad person just because you intend to do bad things, but rather because you do them.

You can interact with people, bringing tons of hidden intentions within your mind. But "action speaks louder,"  as long as you don't hurt people or execute your hidden bad intentions. You are a good person. You can have the wildest thing to imagine in your mind. But people judge you by your acts.

If sincerity means social interaction with no hidden intention, no one can see your sincerity through your mind but rather through your actions. Show it like you mean it. Through your actions, never treat people like tools. Those hidden intentions will be your secret ambition, and it is not a problem to have them, even bad ones, as long as you don't execute them.