are we all acting?...........

I think that's a good point, though I don't think people realise it because it just comes naturally. We adapt our behaviour and way of thinking to suit the situation we find ourselves in. There are things I would do and say at home that I wouldn't do at work - and vice versa. Also, we put on our 'happy face' even if we are not feeling at our best so that others dont worry about us or think we are a miserable person. Sometimes we will display other emotions that are not totally sincere to make others feel better about their own situation. Often, it isn't a conscious decision... we are just conditioned to do it. Other times we act to compensate in some way. A shy person will often act in an extrovert way as a mask or defence mechanism - almost to convince themselves of their confidence. It can be easier to deal with great sadness and fear by making jokes etc

Of course! Most of the time we do. Only when we face emotions and feelings such anger, fear, hunger, etc., we dont. Otherwise, it is 100 percent acting, even within family circle and friends. he he. U used the words "dear friends". R v really ur friends, and r v really dear to u? :-)

I think we need to act. It's true that we need to be ourselves but sometimes it's not wrong to act a bit. By being merely selfish and do as we please, we may end up hurting not just someone else but ourselves as well. So we why not acting a bit. We can't please everyone but at least we tried. Plus, I don't see anything wrong with it.

I don't think it's acting. We have different role in our life. As a child, as a teacher, parent, friend, worker, boss, sister, brother, etc. We need to act differently to other person and of course, we must be polite so sometimes we speak nice things to the people we just know 5 minutes ago. it's some kind of courtesy and nothing wrong with that. That's why there are some peoples who we called "best friends" and "family". We don't need to act much in front of them. We face many people with different personality and personally, I try to be neutral and thus I need to give the best solution eventhough I don't like something. Why I must let everybody know the true me? It's my privacy and the one who really know you is yourself.. As long as the reason is peace and courtesy, I think acting is okay