Easy Answers

Whenever I am asked where I was born or where I grew up, I almost always answer "Baltimore." The reason is it is a city that most everyone knows in terms of name-recognition and location. Once I give my answer, people usually nod and then the conversation goes on from there. Nice and smooth. Easy. The problem with that, however, is that it is not true. The fact is I was neither born nor raised in Baltimore, Maryland. For the record, I was born in Baltimore County and raised in a suburb called Woodlawn, both of which are very close to Baltimore but - more to the point - are not Baltimore. Why, then, do I give out misleading information about myself?

Generally, I find the real answer to be too much of a distraction. I feel it slows down and even sidetracks the interaction I am having with another. If I respond, "Woodlawn," then they are going to understandably want to know where it is as well as some sort of brief description about it. Under most circumstances, I see such information as being too much of a distraction from the conversation at-hand. So, "Baltimore" it is and "Baltimore" it will continue to remain until I am convinced such a white lie is all that much of a problem. It is an easy answer that, to me, that does far more good than harm.

I do not see me being unique when it comes to this sort of thing. Often, people revert back to easy answers rather than taking the time to opening themselves up to explaining something they would rather not. They find it much easier to go with a sound bite or talking point that, at best, only skims the surface of what is true. Though understandable, such communicating does not do service or justice to the receiver or sender within the interaction or the topic on which they are conversing. Yet both sender and receiver seem to be active participants in this dynamic. Perhaps all of us should re-think our addiction to easy answers. The full truth may be more complicated, but without question it is better for us.