Truth or Dare

This game - everyone sitting in a circle late at night, munching on snacks and slurping juice boxes - is a game that reveals the true character of those playing, no matter how old they are. This game used to strike terror in me at slumber parties where mean girls were present. I think it's safe to say that we would all be able to recall an accepted challenge or secret spilled while playing Truth or Dare during childhood. I also think it's safe to say that we could all remember being surprised or impressed (or both) with some of our friends as they courageously admitted something or mischievously completed a task. Those things tend to stick with us.

 

Everyone knows that if you go truth, you're a pansy. You're a pansy because you picked truth out of fear for what the dare would make you do. Plus, if you pick truth, you can always lie. Everyone knows that dare is where the fun is. Dare results in a variety of things, from toilet seats being licked to hamsters getting shaved, from kissing to strangers receiving calls in the middle of the night, among other things. You know. Dare is where street cred starts. 

 

Truth or Dare is a party game that presents and reveals the binaries of our character. It is one of many chances we have to decide who we are. For a lot of us, playing Truth or Dare was the first time we were put to the test to see how far we were willing to go to attain & retain Cool. And that game isn't restricted just to elementary school slumber parties. In fact, the older we get, the more outrageous the dares demanded of us, the more scandalous the truths required. The stakes are higher. We have reputations to protect. 

 

As we grow up, we are constantly presented with opportunities to show our character. If I've heard it once, I've heard it a thousand times: life is full of character-defining moments all lined up. As old as that saying might be, I have to admit it is undeniable. So the better we know ourselves, the better. The better we know ourselves, the more comfortable we will be with showing people who we are. The choices presented, the unavoidable challenges of real life, all come down to us deciding who we are & how we will approach a given situation. While Truth or Dare may be a silly (or torturous, depending on who you are) game meant to pass the time late at night, we will continue to be challenged as long as we are alive. We will be faced with difficult choices & circumstances, each with their own set of consequences. Long-lasting consequences.

I'm not saying don't play Truth or Dare. I'm not saying that if you choose dare you're a horrible person, or that if you lie in response to a truth, you're an immoral person. I'm just asking you to recognize that it isn't just a game. You define yourself through that game as a kid, just like you will during other life experiences as an adult. So figure out who you are. Figure out what you stand for. 

 

 

[One last bit of advice: if you play Truth or Dare with real, true friends, you won't feel the pressure to lie or do something you're not ok with. And if you're playing with real, true friends & still feel that pressure, maybe just stick to Twister or ghost stories :)].