We’ve all been there. You’re on a second or third date, and the person across from you is charming, funny, and seemingly perfect. Then, the food takes five minutes too long, and suddenly they’re snapping at the server or making a condescending comment about the “help.”
That is the mask slipping. When someone is talking to an “equal”—a boss, a romantic interest, or a peer—they’re usually performing. They want something from you, so they’re on their best behavior. But how they treat the barista, the janitor, or the person stuck in the call center? That’s their baseline. That is who they actually are when there’s no social profit to be gained.
