Howdy folks!

In the metaphorical sense of this subject... is it better for you to be easy to read considering the world we're in? Or is it better to keep your cards close to your chest in this world of death, money and taxes?

This may seem like a pretty simple question with a pretty simple answer... "no". However, I'd like to delve a bit further before you give your answer. 

In our world, there are an array of different characters who will each evolve and change from generation to generation. Some evolve to suit their surroundings, some despise everything they see and yearn for more evolution and progress. Either way, any bloodline that has been here a significant amount of time will undoubtedly be different now to what their great, great, great (etc) grandpappy/mammy was.

So, considering how long it takes for mobsters here to 'forgive and forget' what a single member of a bloodline does, I think I've found at least one example of where it would be much wiser to be that open book. Over the years, my own lineage has discovered that if we're not out in the streets regularly venting our feelings regularly then people assume something must be wrong. Which if I'm being totally honest, although not always... that is usually the case. 

I bring this up because recently I've had a couple of things to say about our friends over in Las Vegas and the amount of mobsters jumping to the conclusion that I was out to make LV look stupid and eventually get them killed because I had some sort of problem with Seph was ridiculous. Some of my own circle of friends assumed the same even though they should know better. The fact is I quite like Seph, his bloodline has done many good things in the past and although we're not the best of friends, I consider us to be on friendly terms.  

I had bodyguards killed and was shot at by a member of his city who claimed it was to do with how I was questioning the Las Vegas leadership (it wasn't, it was personal but that story's for another day) in the streets and received a cryptic message with coffeeshop logs that told me Seph was looking for my location to shoot me when there weren't many active mobsters around.

These incidents were in my view were just petty narrow-minded shit stirrers who fail to realise that I am that open book I referred to earlier. If I had so much of a problem with Seph, I would have more than likely tried to do something about it. 

This is where my 'open book policy' worked to my advantage... my bosses, my peers and our allies leadership that were aware of it all seemed to get that if I'm venting in the streets then that's as far as the problem will go. If I had any intentions of doing anything about Seph's decisions, then I wouldn't be giving my opinion on the subject openly in public. Personally, I think Seph even knew this.

I've had many personal conversations with people who tell me that I 'get away with more than most people in the streets' because of my lineage, but my bloodline's legacy in this world is very minimal to a lot of the mobsters that are around now. It's the fact that we've always been very easy to read with regards to attitudes/actions/emotions.

So considering I can 'get away with more than most' (I must have had 50-60 people say this to me so I know you're out there!), is it possible that we're living in a world where it is better to wear your heart on your sleeve so-to-speak? To be an open book?
 
After all, to everyone that was wise enough (the aforementioned leadership) I didn't get a single complaint from, it was only as we got a lot further down the 'power tree' that the complaints began flowing.

It's a good question that you bring up. I like to think it is better to be an open book, but there is one problem with this.

When certain lines cannot let go of the past, they tend not to believe what is truly there. Instead they skew their vision so badly that they need to destroy another person's line.  I am sure we have all held grudges a little too long, right? That one guy that happened to rip you off.

Some grudges are not easily laid to rest. And the memories of how those grudges have affected certain lines are usually not forgotten. So while you could be the most open book around, it doesn't mean everyone will believe it.

This is the problem with our world, truth about things get skewed so badly. People try to hide things, some for reasons that they believe benefits them or their people, and others just because they can.  Sometimes it's easier to not really give an answer when the answer is going to be something the masses don't like, or won't fully understand.

I believe a lot of the bad stuff about being an open book truly stems from coffee shops and other spots people visit frequently to talk to others. In these places it just seems harder to tell if people are hiding things or truly being open.

Perhaps I am a bit jaded after a lineage history on these shores. Either way I prefer to be an open book.

You said: "Over the years, my own lineage has discovered that if we're not out in the streets regularly venting our feelings regularly then people assume something must be wrong. Which if I'm being totally honest, although not always... that is usually the case."

In my opinion, that probably holds true for bloodlines who are usually vocal in the streets. There are people who can't be bothered. There was a long time where it was much better to keep your opinions to yourself, depending on the era either because you would get killed for it or because you could get so much shit and so much disrespect thrown your way just for having an opinion that it was not worth it. It's very hard nowadays to get killed for disrespecting somebody of rank in the streets, unless you outright insult them to their face. So some may feel it's better not to give people a chance to disrespect you by not exposing your thoughts in public.

nice

I think being an open book works for you and you may get away with more than most because you state your opinions so eloquently. You don't feel the need to use offensive language to get your point across. It's not possible for everyone to agree 100% of the time but it is possible to respect an intelligently stated opinion.