Follow That Guy!

Isn’t it funny how in so many TV shows, when the main character wants to chase a suspicious individual in a cab, the cabbie never wonders what’s going on? Just tip the guy a hundred bucks and he asks no questions. Have you ever thought about doing that in real life. I mean, not really follow someone, but see if a cabbie would be game for it for a couple extra bucks.

Or how about when the lead actor in a series breaks several laws, but he’s friends with the sheriff so he gets off? And when it’s discovered by someone else the sheriff always gets in trouble, but the lead actor rides off into the sunset with no repercussions.

Then, there’s the two people who seem to hate each other at the beginning of the show, but within an hour they are madly in love. Amazingly, though, by the very next episode the one character has moved on and the other one is nowhere to be found. In fact, if you asked about her, I’m sure he would tell you he has no idea who you mean. People in TV shows have a surprisingly short memory.

And yet as adults we make fun of cartoon characters who die in one episode and are alive again by the next. Or the imaginary friends our kids make up who have to have their own seat in the car. We constantly suspend our beliefs, but our kids can’t?

It’s all about imagination. We all have one. Some of us more than others. And we use those to make things fit that don’t really fit, in TV shows, in movies, and in real life. That’s why we delude ourselves into thinking someone is right for you when everyone else knows they aren’t. It’s also why we take so long to admit to ourselves our issues.

Imagine if we didn’t allow ourselves to believe those things, though. We wouldn’t have any fun. We would constantly be worried and stressed out about the world and our place in it. We would be self-conscious all the time, so what’s the harm in a little self-delusion?

So, next time that cabbie follows someone without question, don’t feel bad about believing it. I’m sure they will end up somewhere interesting in the end.

Sam