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Do most people have a terrible secret which could ruin their life?

500 replies

aurynne · 18/05/2020 07:59

Yesterday my DH and I were watching an episode of The Honourable Woman, and I found myself thinking back to all the movies, novels and series in which it appears that every character is carrying a dark, terrible secret which would ruin their life if it came to light. Often there is someone in the plot who, at some point, says something like "Everybody has a secret to protect", and the main character nods wisely, as if this was widely known and accepted.

I know it's fiction, but do you believe this is mostly true? Do you have a secret which, if revealed, would affect your or your loved ones' lives in a significant way? Of course I am not asking you to reveal it here (although if you wish, please be my guest, I am very nosey!), but please just feed my curiosity by saying YES (I have a dark secret) or NO (I don't have any dark secrets).

Personally, I think I must be very boring. The best detective in the World could not really find anything juicy to blackmail me with. My family is not going to find any skeletons in my closet (perhaps just some dust balls). I obviously have parts of my life that I prefer to remain in the private arena, but nothing worth going viral for, nothing that would really shock anyone or turn my life upside down by far if I published it today in The New York Times.

What about you?

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BikeRunSki · 18/05/2020 08:02

No

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GinWithRosie · 18/05/2020 08:03

Nothing I'd be too mortified about...certainly nothing I'd be too embarrassed if my mum found out 😂

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Jacobieathan · 18/05/2020 08:04

No.

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BadJanetsMobile · 18/05/2020 08:04

No very boring here. Id say my current biggest secret is that I want to leavr my job and basically demote myself for a bit more work life balance and even thats not a bad thing....

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aurynne · 18/05/2020 08:07

Oh my GOD @BadJanetsMobile, how can you live with yourself??? I am seeing the plot of the next internationally acclaimed crime/mystery bestseller here...

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GeriGeranium · 18/05/2020 08:08

No, I have literally no dark secrets and am not aware of anybody close to me having any. Obviously there’s things I’d prefer to keep private but nothing that in any way would harm anybody if it came out.

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vampirethriller · 18/05/2020 08:09

My family have no idea that I was a junkie and prostitute, that I spent time in a mental unit and women's refuge, that I was homeless and then lived in a hostel.
I was hundreds of miles away from any of them at the time and didn't see them for years. I only spoke to them occasionally.

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Pinkarsedfly · 18/05/2020 08:09

Yup

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Jjjjjj1981 · 18/05/2020 08:11

I’ve got a couple of dark secrets, mostly from many years ago. But hopefully they wouldn’t be awful enough to ruin my life.

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Packamack · 18/05/2020 08:12

Not so much secrets, but I dread the day they perfect mind-reading technology.

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BeatrixPottersAlterEgo · 18/05/2020 08:12

No, I've one or two things I'd prefer to keep private and that I wouldn't particularly enjoy talking about if I had to, but nothing earth shattering.

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LivingThatLockdownLife · 18/05/2020 08:13

Nah.

We all love some good drama. If only life were that simple!

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GrapefruitGin · 18/05/2020 08:14

Not bad enough that they would ruin my life but I certainly wouldn’t want them out there!

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RickOShay · 18/05/2020 08:14

Flowers @vampirethriller. You rock.
@aurynne
Yes. Funnily enough I was thinking about this earlier. I’ve had a few dark patches in my life.

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Weekday28 · 18/05/2020 08:15

Yes. Probably nothing that could ruin my life but people would be shocked I think.

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Frangible · 18/05/2020 08:15

I do.

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Windyatthebeach · 18/05/2020 08:15

A few....
Don't ever sleep soundly or ever will..
Sad

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BeatrixPottersAlterEgo · 18/05/2020 08:15

Since I've been very young I've tried not to do anything that I wouldn't stand by if it was broadcast on the 6 o clock news Grin

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plunkplunkfizz · 18/05/2020 08:16

Yep.

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Confused866 · 18/05/2020 08:17

Yes, 3 separate things. One from years ago that probably wouldn’t ‘ruin my life’ but would cause some family problems and I would be very embarrassed. One that I just wouldn’t want people to know about as I’m ashamed. One that would turn my life upside down. I don’t worry about it day to day though as I don’t think the secrets will come out. I reckon more people than you think have secrets to be honest - no one in my life would guess I have any secrets and I’ve had a couple of friends confide certain things that I wouldn’t have guessed in a million years. Not all secrets are things that are really ‘wrong’ but I guess just stuff that doesn’t fit with everyone’s image of you and it would change how people see you.

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BrokenBrit · 18/05/2020 08:19

No.
A couple of things embarrassing things I’d prefer my older parents to not find out from my younger days, but nothing too horrific or harmful.

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Crystal87 · 18/05/2020 08:20

Yes. My DH knows and so does a close friend and an ex. But it's not something I would want the rest of my family and new friends to know.

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DailyKegelReminder · 18/05/2020 08:20

Yes to one that would change my life from how it is now and upset a few loved ones. Keeps me up at night sometimes.


But isn't dark enough for most strangers to care about.

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Caramel78 · 18/05/2020 08:22

Yes

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aurynne · 18/05/2020 08:23

Crikey, 11 out of 22 do have dark secrets! I am honestly surprised and intrigued.

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