Perceptions Sometimes Count and Facts May Not
“Perception is reality”
I’ve heard this quote numerous times. The falsehood evident in those words should be obvious, but these days perhaps it is not. Reality is reality, perception is perception.
Often reality and perception overlap heavily - but we don’t notice those times when our perceptions are correct. Our brains think that’s the default. There’s also almost always some amount of perception that doesn’t overlap reality - when our brain is jumping to conclusions and we are misled. These situations often don’t matter too much, and sometimes they even keep us safer than we’d be otherwise. Optical illusion is one time when perception doesn’t line up with reality.
The quote is usually stated to remind us that often it’s not the reality of a situation that matters, but others’ beliefs about reality. The quote is often cited to caution individuals away from taking actions that others might misunderstand as ethically or legally wrong. It cautions individuals away from taking an official-use-only vehicle out to the boss’s house in any capacity. It cautions individuals away from spending notable amounts of time in private with members of the opposite sex, for even laudable reasons.
These are important cautions! It’s often hard or impossible to walk back mis-perceptions, and if they are simply avoided then your life will probably be much easier.
But it doesn’t change the falsehood of the statement. Perception is not equivalent to reality.
Perception is perception, and reality is reality. And while thinking people understand the difference intellectually, non-thinking people probably aren’t thinking about it. Even thinking people will often make mistakes of assumption.
In the era of the false cries of “fake news” and widespread campaigns of actual misinformation, we shouldn’t aid purveyors of this bunk.
Here’s the truth - and I didn’t make it up myself, it’s a quote from a speaker, but was said in a non-attribution environment:
Perceptions Sometimes Count and Facts May Not
That quote warns individuals without suggesting falsehood, and without implying that the situation is acceptable.
It’s not acceptable that, in so many situations, individuals give in to their perceptions and disregard facts. It happens though, and we must be prepared for when it impacts us. We should recognize this bias for perception over fact in ourselves too, and seek to avoid being overly influenced by it.
Don’t accept that some hold perception higher than fact, but recognize that
Perceptions Sometimes Count and Facts May Not