Hi

Has it happened to you that some social contexts would bring to life your worst part, that you would say and do things which everyone had the right to interpret as bad?

To me, it happens to the extent that when provoked - I would catch myself saying things which speak of me very badly, but some of which are utterly and unquestionably untrue?

Just one example: I was sort of interrogated by a colleague of mine whether I had told our manager about what he had done (spreading some malicious rumours). I had not, but in the course of the interrogation, I suddenly confirmed. It was totally unconscious and - like I said - untrue.

That very moment he simply interrupted the conversation and left, presumably to spread the word.

In isolation, such a thing would not bother me, but as it happens too often, I wonder what the heck.

[Skeezyks]

Hello r2d45: I'm not certain if I understand what you're getting at here. But it sounds to me as though, in your example, you admitted to doing something you actually had not done. Assuming that is the case, actually "false confession" is a real problem. Under duress many, perhaps most, people will confess to doing all sorts of really serious things... even murder! We all think we would never do such a thing. But it happens again-&-again.

So in your example, where you were being interrogated by your colleague, perhaps your stress level was elevated & you "caved" to something you didn't actually do. That's not really all that unusual, at least not in my opinion. Beyond that, certainly I can think of plenty of times when social situations I was in... in the past... brought out the worst in me. In fact, I think that's part of the reason nowadays I pretty-much just keep to myself. I consider it to be my gift to the world.

Yes, that is what I was referring making a false confession about having done something that I did not do. Duress or torture - I can easily imagine, but I am a bit concerned about that sleight of tongue that works against my reputation. If it were the other way round, I would not mind that much