In truth, life is going to present us with all sorts of challenges and problems, of which, the objective of the exercise is to do our level best to overcome these obstacles so that we can have a successful and satisfying life. One of the seminal things to keep in mind is that just as the Fifth Amendment protects us from self-incrimination, we need to remind ourselves, that there aren’t many situations in which it is in our best interests to build a case against ourselves and thereby broadcast to everyone our foibles, when there isn’t any sensible reason to do so. That is to say, confession has its place, but it has to be recognized that when we confess appropriately, we are doing so with the understanding that our confession is not disclosed to just anybody or any institution, for it remains secret between the penitent and the priest.
While being forthright and honest should be the mode of conduct that we display with those that we congregate with, that doesn’t mean that includes confessing all that we have done wrong to the general public, for not only do we not have an obligation to do so, but it isn’t discreet or of good purpose on our part to commit this indiscretion, for there are plenty of institutions and people that will take a heartfelt acknowledgment of personal error and thus hold it against us, or hold it over our head, in order to control or compromise us, all because we have built a case against ourselves, when we shouldn’t have done that very thing.
Look, it has to be acknowledged, that not everybody is on the up and up, and not everybody has our best interests in mind, so that by disclosing that which should remain private to those who desire to take advantage of our weaknesses isn’t going to be prudent on our part, for while we are being open about our personal failures and errors, they, on the other hand, typically aren’t confessing or admitting to any errors on their part, because they deeply desire to maintain their moral superiority over us, by selling the illusion that they are of better character; whereas if they too were confessing, it would be quite apparent that they were no better than us.
We are provided with a tongue that speaks the words that we speak, as well as fingers that write the words that we write, but it is up to our discretion as to what we do or do not say or write, and not every thought that comes to us, is a thought that needs to be disclosed, for we are sovereign of our mind, and those that relinquish that sovereignty, good intentions or not, to admit to character faults that need not be revealed to that particular company, have made the error of believing that making a case against one’s self, is good for the soul, when in reality it tends to open a door that will lead to the emphasis of our bad character traits as being our true self, when it is not, which will subsequently reflect poorly on who we are in totality.