Things that make you go; "hmmEEELLL NO!!"

(Press play, then read)


Working at your town's "local current rave computer store" over the past few years has taught me a few things.

1. Discussions about World of Warcraft can and will pop up at any moment, either in front of customers or in the break room.

2. There were apparently a lot more people starved for attention than I thought originally possible (thanks reality f*ckin TV!)

and..

3. Just because you work for a supposed west coast, free thinking, on the edge, liberal type of company, it doesn't necessarily mean it is run by people of that ilk.

A few months ago, I had a discussion with a "higher up" about perception. This "higher up" seemed to think, and tried to advise me, that perception is more important than anything. He told me that perception is so important, that it can determine whether you have a job in certain situations. Puzzled by this thing called perception, I decided to ask his "higher up" if she agreed with this. She agreed. To that note, I also had a discussion with a friend of mine yesterday who kind of agreed with this philosophy as well. I totally disagree with all three of them, and here's pretty much why.

The term perception's first definition clearly states it as being; the act or faculty of apprehending by means of the senses or of the mind; cognition; or understanding. So to gain understanding of "me" as a person, another person will use their senses (based on what I give them no doubt) to gain some sort of cognition or understanding of who I am, or who I perceive to be. Again, this is based on what I give them at any given moment. It is also based on what they see at any given moment, and this is where I have a problem.

People are lazy man. I can understand the fact that the use of perception can come in "handy" every now and again, but to use it as a doctrine in which to guide one's life when dealing with people is both lazy, and a bit silly. Why? Because some of the time, I dare say most of the time, people's "perception" is completely wrong. Instead of trying to actually understand, or know what someone is talking about, or where they are coming from; people will instead prefer to use their "perceptions" as a sort of mini-judgment factor. Again, this can come in handy, but it usually falls under the guise of assumption, and well we all know about ASS U(&) ME ing. Take some time lazy birds!

Perception also opens up the door for you to get totally taken advantage of. If you guide your life by perceptions, and a person figures this out, you're in big trouble. Because they can play to your perceptions, and lie to you right to your face. Have you thinking they are someone completely different. We see it in relationships gone bad everyday. In the case of work, its extremely easy, because these people hardly know the REAL YOU. They get an idea, but don't ever truly have to know the REAL YOU. And you can play on their perceptions all the way to the top. You can "look busy" without really ever being busy. You may get found out, or you may not. Kinda sucks for the good guy I suppose. I say that because the snake will figure this out quick as shit! What ever happened to trying to get to know someone based on merit? Perception was used greatly in the racist South during the Civil War. Hell, it was used in the racist North, East, and West for that matter!

Another co-worker tried to tell me that trying to perceive what people are like, is made easy because of Facebook!!! This conversation was started because we were talking about how companies enlist someone to scour the web for people's online identities to try and help determine work eligibility. This was both appalling, and a bit alarming at the same time. Appalling because; STOP BEING LAZY MAN!! Alarming because this guy was a manager as well, and is actually in control of hiring people. Facebook? REALLY?! I know I bullshit ON PURPOSE on Facebook because it ISN'T real. So now we are even using perception as a means to play God (in a sense) with people's lives because of what they write on the internet? I'm sorry, but if I say some stupid shit online, that shouldn't work against me. And if someone perceives something that I'm not because of it, THEY are in the wrong, not me. Karma will end up kicking them square in the balls/chocha from the back because of it too. Thats one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

So be careful when you guide your life by way of perception. Like Maf once said; (and I'm paraphrasing) "If someone is trying to sell you friendship, they probably aren't interesting in really being your friend". Take the time to try and figure out who someone is. If you are a hiring manager and are interviewing people, bullshit rises to the top. I don't even hire anyone and I know this. You can tell the bullshit ARTISTS from a mile away. If you can't, then you need not be hiring people because you are probably wasting your company's money due to turn around on the given position. Society is getting really lazy with how it handles the interactions of people on a day to day basis. Jesus, lets just start scanning finger prints for genetic preference already!

mS