Have you ever been told a secret in the workplace? Of course you have. Have you ever been told to not share a secret? Of course you have. Have you ever shared a someone else’s secret. I bet many have. It can be hard to keep things in a vault forever. A few days? Sure. A month? Sure. Well, for some perhaps. Anyway, workplace secrets are often not-so-secret. And, often many so-called secrets are actually widely-known secrets. But, of those secrets you commit to keep, is there ever an expiration date?

A few years ago, a social media app called Secret became a phenomenon. It allowed people to anonymously posts secrets. It tapped into a need for gossip and for a need to unload. I never went onto the site but I assume it was a bit like the Daily Mail for everyday folks. The app showcased a societal need to overshare and share things about other people.

This past month we have collectively tried to keep a major secret. Many have tried to not spoil the ending and plot twists of Avengers: Endgame. People begged for spoil-free zones. Most agreed to respect the spoil-free zone. Of course, all this non-spoiler hype is most assuredly a marketing ploy as well. I, myself, am one of those who begged people to not spoil the movie. Sadly, I did come across some spoilers. I came across them partly because I went onto Twitter and looked at what people were saying about Avengers: Endgame. Despite ostensibly not wanting to be spoiled I still put myself in a situation to be spoiled. Hmm.

Then there is my original question. Is there an expiration date? By when do we stop trying to not spoil? Is a weekend good enough? A week? Surely, a month is too long. Once you see the movie, it is only natural to want to share and discuss the plot points. By agreeing to not spoil we may very well be going against our nature -our natural inclination- to spoil.