The Rubinshteinic Philosophy on Acting: The Cult of the Open Secret

(Philosocom's Subcategory on Manipulation)

"It is all metaphor, but we pretend some of it is less so." -- Mark Bloom

(Background music)

Introduction

From a strictly philosophical vantage point, the concept of Acting is an anomaly. It is an industry of immense luxury, commanding fame, glory, and capital, yet it remains, arguably, largely unproductive to the advancement of the human condition. It is a glorified, societally sanctioned form of hypocrisy.

This sanctioning creates a secondary layer of hypocrisy within the audience itself: we condemn liars in the public square, yet we donate our time, money, and emotional bandwidth to "professional pretenders" in the name of culture.

The Anatomy of the "Open Secret"

What distinguishes Acting from common malice? Hypocrisy, by definition, occurs when an entity presents a facade that contradicts their essence. Usually, this is a mechanism of deceit—either deluding oneself (delusion) or deceiving others (manipulation).

Acting, however, occupies a unique category: The Open Secret. It is a consensual delusion. Both the deceiver (the actor) and the deceived (the audience) sign a silent contract acknowledging the lie. This mutual agreement to "pretend we do not know what we know" is what allows the simulation to function. It is perhaps the largest collective cognitive dissonance in human history.

The Economy of False Emotion

We live in an era of fandoms, where billions of people invest deeply in simulacra—copies of things that have no original. We discuss fictional characters as if they breathe; we weep for tragedies that never occurred.

Consider the phenomenon of the modern consumer who feels they have "wasted their life" over a video game or a movie franchise. This is the danger of the Open Secret. The intellect knows it is an illusion, but the heart does not possess that filter. The entertainment industry is, objectively, the business of meddling with human biology—triggering dopamine and cortisol responses using calculated falsehoods—in exchange for brand loyalty and fees.

The Universal Script: Society as a Stage

Why do we adore professional hypocrites? Because they excel at what the average person attempts to do poorly every day: Survival through Performance.

We are all drafted into a form of amateur acting. Social norms are the script; society is the stage. We are conditioned to believe that adoration is conditional—that we will only be loved if we perform the correct emotions and suppress our true nature.

• The Actor: Sells a fantasy to escape to.

  
  

• The Civilian: Wears a mask to survive.

  
  

People adore actors because actors provide a reflection of what they wish were true. Plato identified this centuries ago: the masses prefer the shadow on the wall to the object casting it. They do not want the truth; they want a script that confirms their biases.

The Anti-Philosophical Nature of Performance

This brings us to the core conflict: Acting is the antithesis of Philosophy.

Philosophy is the logical, relentless pursuit of Truth. It is a way of life that demands we act in accordance with reality, regardless of comfort.

• You cannot be a philosopher if you prefer a pleasant lie over a harsh truth.

  
  

• You cannot be a philosopher if you demand others perform for you.

  
  

Therefore, the veneration of Acting is an anti-philosophical stance. When I was deemed "irrelevant" by a former friend for being honest about my feelings, it was a rejection of Truth in favor of the Mask. She failed to appreciate the value of reality. I retributed by building an empire of truths.

The Integrity of the Void

This is why I reject the creation of fiction. I do not wish to "pretend" when pretending does not serve a survival purpose.

• Roleplaying (RP/LARP): While a creative exercise for some, it is merely another layer of the Open Secret—a safe space to be someone else because one cannot bear to be oneself.

  
  

• The "Alpha" Pretender: A man who wears a beard or a suit to alter perception is merely engaging in costume design.

  
  

If you hate a man, showing me a photo of him in a suit versus a T-shirt should not alter your judgment. The truth of the man remains. To be swayed by the costume is to admit you have no use for the essence.

Conclusion: The Empire of Truth

We must ask ourselves: Why should a man be condemned for honesty, when honesty is the only path to genuine connection? Depth—the cure for existential loneliness—cannot be found in a script. It can only be found in the raw, unpolished reality of the self.

We should not be pleased by the deception of appearances. We should not be fooled by the trickery of emotion. We should only utilize the Truth, for only the Truth can liberate us from the shackles of delusion.

Philosocom is not a theater. It is a content empire that aims for the truth. We look beyond the symbolism of human interaction, to see the nucleus within.