Super Short Story (159): Trust She knows who not to trust - actors who are paid to promote products in ads. It’s knowing who to trust that is tricky - as some are not paid but bluff too. Then again, actors are sometimes truthful, when not acting at all. just as non-actors are sometimes...

Ten always meet in a bar. One day, one came with a gun. There were six chances (for a six-shooter) of being shot. Fearing this, the next day, all came with guns. There are now 60 chances of being shot… when it could had been no chance. Insecurity breeds insecurity. The real security...

Thought after watching ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’: How do you really trust anyone, including yourself? If you are completely trustworthy, why are you not enlightened yet, totally aligned with truth? Obviously, there must be self-deceit going on to some extent! How do you really...

The Group Vs Sole Survivor Paradox: Players are expected to be loyal to their teams, while expected to betray individuals, who might be from their teams. Survivor games are social experiments. Just put a bunch of people together, divide them – again and again and see their best and...

Q: What is the Buddhist basis of trust? A: The truth is, despite mustering the best of our wisdom, but because we can’t read minds, it is always a gamble to some extent when we choose to trust another unenlightened being. As such, we have to be prepared to be tricked in the first...

In the ‘brutal’ game that is Survivor in one of the recent seasons, Fabio, seemingly a simple-minded goofball at first, eventually won the game. This seemed pretty amazing because he was the youngest winner yet, and he won without double-crossing anyone. The thing is, if you...

She says, ‘I think I can’t handle lies or betrayal well. It’s hard for me to trust anyone now.’ ‘Trust in the Dharma then’, I said, ‘for it will never let you down. And the Dharma also says spiritual friendship is the dearest. ‘Yet, this does...

Saw a modern gangland movie version’s retelling of Macbeth, which I studied in school years ago… A case of listening to witches’ hearsay (or heresy?), hearing only what he wanted to hear, his heart’s desires spelled out, trapping and tripping himself with...

‘Outrage’ is a recent flick, destined to be another classic, that portrays the convoluted nature of organised crime, of the chaotic scheming and violence that lies beneath the cool black suits and shades. Some honour is expected among the crime lords, who check and keep one...

In the graphic novel version of ‘Kidnapped’ by Robert Louis Stevenson (adapted by Alan Grant, illustrated by Cam Kennedy), the protagonist gets… yes, kidnapped. For most of the story, he is portrayed as severely disturbed by having been betrayed by his only uncle. Even after...