The Puppet’s Illusion

Those who live under the gaze of others, I call them "puppets." They seem like stones buried in a pile of diamonds, hoping to use the diamonds' light to cover their own dullness. They are merely stones, yet they pride themselves on being diamonds. What is even more pitiful is that they are unwilling to put in the effort to truly become a dazzling diamond.

Puppets under the spotlight have empty souls, so how can they talk about having independent characters and personalities? Their existence seems to be solely for performing on the stage, seeking the fleeting applause of half-asleep audiences.

Because others favor perfect, flawless masks, the puppets before they step onto the stage put in effort to disguise their outward appearances. However, their perfection is not innate; it is built up layer by layer with heavy makeup. They apply concealer repeatedly, until their skin cracks, only then do they stop. After setting down the almost dried-up concealer, they stare at the "perfect" face in the mirror, intoxicated by the illusion they have created. It isn’t until fifteen minutes before the performance that they suddenly realize there is a show they still have to act in.

Puppets are very agile. They can dance, perform, and smile in flattery. But their agility is only because invisible strings are controlling them. Their joy, anger, sorrow, and every action are all someone else’s creations. They are mere tools, manipulated and used by others, yet they take pride in it, for their empty heads hold no mind and their empty hearts hold no soul. They even enjoy being controlled, occasionally boasting, “I’m amazing, everyone loves me!” But they don’t realize they are nothing more than clowns on stage.

Such puppets are everywhere in society. They never reflect on themselves; after making mistakes, they only try desperately to cover them up. Perhaps in the dead of night, when removing their makeup, they briefly contemplate, but they lack the courage to admit their faults. They respond to those they have wronged with silence. More often, they see themselves as victims, complaining about the injustice of society, but never realizing that the true source of their unhappiness is themselves.

But they will never take off their mask. Because once they tear away their disguise, they can only face the ugly truth of their own face. They will continue to live in endless self-deception until even the spotlight grows tired of their performance and leaves them abandoned in the silent darkness forever.