Managing Perception

The desire to manage the perception of others is a normal desire.  What we post on Facebook, Instagram and other social media outlets is typically showing off our best sides only.  The human race, at this time in history, is turning to movies, television, drugs and alcohol, gaming and other forms of addiction, entertainment and distraction in order to cope with the stark reality of what is going on in the world, and in order to keep believing in the hopes and dreams that we are being fed from those in positions of power around the world.   Some of us are okay with not knowing and not seeing these dark truths and some of us are in outright denial of these dark truths to the point of attacking anyone who tries to expose them or dismissing them as crazy or conspiracy theorists. 

While the need to manage the perception of others is not usually done with malicious intent, this need to manage other's perception goes to a pathological extreme when we are talking about narcissists, psychopaths, sociopaths or anyone in the dark triad of the human personality spectrum.  Unfortunately, many people in positions of power fall into this category because the people in the dark triad tend to seek out positions of power, don't get their feathers ruffled under pressure due to their low empathy and desire for high stakes and high risks situations (adrenaline junkies), and due to their ability to be very self-promoting and tendencies to deny or discount any flaws or weaknesses while playing up their strengths.  In other words, they are experts at manipulation and managing perception.  

However, the management of perception doesn't stop with how they want others to view them but extends to how others view others, view the world and view themselves.  And why do we believe them?  Because we, who are children of God, follow the Golden Rule - treat others the way you would want to be treated.  Because we give people the benefit of the doubt.  Because we assume everyone thinks and acts like us, with some sort of moral code.  Because we believe everyone is basically good.  Because we can't bring ourselves to believe the horrors that are going on in the world.  Because we can't bring ourselves to even look or listen to the horrors that are going on in the world even when they have been proven to be true.  It is simply too overwhelming to do for too long if one is an empathetic soul because we hurt when others hurt and we don't want to hurt.