I think we are all tired of having to constantly translate what everyone says. When someone speaks, posts, or otherwise communicates with his or her peers, he or she has carefully crafted what is being said, and it is hard to know if what is actually said is the message that the speaker intended.

Everyone has an established set of traits that they use to try to present themselves. These are a combination of our actual selves, characteristics to which we aspire and things we indiscriminately pick up from our friends.

But to what extent are our personas actually accurate representations of who we are? This topic has been explored throughout time by scores of philosophers, psychologists, authors, and the like. We often take the stance that these personas and different selves are "false," and in a big way, that is true.

I want to point out, though, that just something being multi-layered does not automatically make it inauthentic.

I am a performer, and when performing in a theatrical work, one of the most important elements of the text that the performer conveys is subtext. Beyond the surface level of a statement, there is an entire world up for interpretation that is based on context, established character traits, and so much more.

This is true for real people as well. Everyone has had the experience of opening a social media platform and seeing the subtly salty post of a friend. To the casual observer, the friend may simply seem to be making an astute observation, but you know better. You know the story, and you may or may not be currently discussing a friend's recent on Facebook messenger with that very same friend.

Subtext doesn't have to be bad. It doesn't have to be catty. It doesn't have to be passive-aggressive. We can use it to our advantage, if we are careful. We can use subtext without compromising authenticity.

Something to remember is that people are all complex, multi-layered beings. Everyone has an internal dialogue going on, and subtext helps us to interact with that internal dialogue.

Here are some things to remember:

1. Not everyone knows your story.

For one to correctly read into the subtext of what you are saying, he or she needs a certain level of familiarity with the content. A lot of this is cultural, and knowing your audience is a big part of how this takes place.

2. It may be better to simply say something outright.

There is a fine line between useful subtext and convolution. Tread carefully, or nobody will have the patience to sift through your laborious, poetic thoughts.

3. This is your chance to be a storyteller.

When I go to post something on social media, there is usually a basic thing I wish to say initially. I think about it for a second and find some kind of angle. For example, instead of posting, "GUYS. I JUST FELL DOWN THE STAIRS," one might say, "Well, I guess I now know why the bottom of a staircase is called a 'landing.'"

I think one could legitimately argue that there is no use for subtext--that we could simply always say what we mean exactly how we mean it. Beyond the fact that this would make the world incredibly dull, this isn't accurate. People naturally have multiple sets of implications in what they say, whether or not they intend it.

This doesn't have to be bad. Instead, it can be very beautiful. If you were to paint a portrait of a friend, you would certainly use more than one hue, so let's honor each shade of each other's thoughts. Let's use subtext to our advantage,