Perception

[Willie T]

Me too : )


Willie. Explain this one a little further. I think I know what you mean but I wanna make sure.

Thinking like this:
"Well, because I think (perceive) that your actions in a particular situation were mean or uncaring, then that MUST be what you intended...…. that you don't give a hoot about me."
(That is exaggerating it a little bit to emphasize the idea.)

 

[Willie T]

Yes, but I think wives have plenty of "inside info," shall we say. They can see your "tell." My wife would always know when it is not a good time to talk to me. Supposedly my pupils would tighten up into a sharp little bead. Whenever she saw that, she told me she went straight to the other room, LoL.

Should we trust or rely upon the validity of our "reading" of those 'tells' as being accurate?

 

[Hidden In Him]

Should we trust or rely upon the validity of our "reading" of those 'tells' as being accurate?

Ah. Well, as again happens with husbands and wives for instance, we may be able to easily tell when the other person is angry or upset, yet misinterpret exactly why they are by making assumptions. So no, you can't always trust your "read" on people, even those closest to you sometimes.

 

[Willie T]

Ah. Well, as again happens with husbands and wives for instance, we may be able to easily tell when the other person is angry or upset, yet misinterpret exactly why they are by making assumptions. So no, you can't always trust your "read" on people, even those closest to you sometimes.

That's very perceptive. (No play on words intended.) Although we may "see" or sense something, the reason or source may not be what we might assume. Nor, might the "target" be what we suppose.

 

[amadeus]

@Willie T
When I was in high school there were three young men who seemed to always be laughing whenever they saw me around. I was certain that they were laughing at and making fun of me. I guess I was quite paranoid in those days.

During the summer vacation one of them was working with his father repairing a roof behind my house. When he saw me and recognized me, he climbed down off the roof and proved to be one of the friendliest people I had ever met. It embarrassed me when I realized how very wrong my first perception of him had been. It changed the way I looked at people I did not know from that day forward.

Is this the opposite of what you meant?

 

[Enoch111]

Any thoughts?

I perceive that Willie is rather perceptive.

 

[Enoch111]

Feeling "jet-lagged"...and my brain is mush right now. I don't have a sensible post in my reach right now...I'd better quit for the day.lol

That's all merely perception. The reality is that you are as sharp as a tack.

 

[Enoch111]

Like first impressions that shape the way you view a person for the rest of your life?

First impressions are often adequate, but not to be totally relied upon. As to perception, today perception is more powerful than reality.

 

[Hidden In Him]

As to perception, today perception is more powerful than reality.

Whoa... what a point.

I've been waiting to hear what his reason was for creating this thread, but if there's a case to be made for why perception is so important, what the media in this country has been doing for decades now would be evidence enough.

 

[farouk]

Joe Kennedy said to his sons: It's not what you are, it's what people think you are...

 

[Mayflower]

The more of life you perceive as good, the more good life will become. Vice versa

 

[Mayflower]

First impressions are often adequate, but not to be totally relied upon. As to perception, today perception is more powerful than reality.

Ain't that the truth

 

[Frank Lee]

Brother Job would have some good comments here. How his world changed! His perceived association with God was cast down and he was able to say;

'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." 'Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.' "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes."
Job 42:3‭-‬6 NASB

God never changes but if we grow in him our view of him changes entirely. Entirely. He can't get bigger but he seems bigger as we experience his ways over time. Long time, his ways, his deeds, his indescribable love.

The universe he made was once thought to be static. Fixed. Done. Even by Einstein.

But Hubble's telescope threw back the curtains and revealed that man's perception of God's universe was like Pat Roberson's first broadcast when he boldly announced "hello world"! To a handful of chicken farmers.

We know now that like a never ending tsunami, the creation is ever rolling outward to the measure less depths and heights and breadths.

So then God's grace is as his created universe ever rolling in a wave to engulf those sins that once we regarded as unforgivable.

His love is complete for us. It is finished.

 

[Taken]

Perception ~ ?

A place to gossip?
A fashion show?
A place to be entertained?
A place to eat?
A place to make business contacts?
A place to organize sports activities?
A place to sleep?
A place to tell jokes?
A place to sell cosmetics and perfumes?
A place to sell football raffles? Make wagers?
A place to wear risqué clothing?
A place for sexual encounters?
A place for children to run and play?
A place to wear a hat the size of an umbrella?

Is this a place you have seen such things...
that might be called a Christian Church?

Matt 21:13
And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer;

Glory to God,
Merry Christmas,
Taken

 

[Dave L]

No, it is not. In fact, those dictionary definitions are not at all what most of us experience when we express a perception of a situation.
To wit:
Suppose you are driving down the road, and a car swerves directly in front of you and nearly hits you before it rockets off on down the road. You make a "judgment", an instantaneous assessment and personal belief of that situation, and even of that driver. THAT is your "perception", your perceived notion of what just transpired.

Your examples are mostly of studied and reasoned ideas and conclusions. I am speaking of "snap judgements" that we make in an instant, AND THEN take into our minds as truths we tend to live by, and judge similar future incidents by.

Thanks for defining you topic. As a Christian I believe all of the perceptions enter into what Paul describes: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) (KJV 1900)

Intuitively, I listen to my "dark humor". It reveals a lot about what we think of people at a subconscious level. Someone might mention a person's name and we might quip "I wonder how many bodies he has stashed away in his basement?" or something similar. Later to find out the person is indeed worthy of being cautious around.

Gut feelings often lead us in the direction God would have us to go. Or to avoid. Once in London I went a different way than normal and avoided an IRA blast in a subway. Things like that....

 

[Willie T]

Joe Kennedy said to his sons: It's not what you are, it's what people think you are...

It is a little frightening just how opposite that is from what Jesus said.

 

[Willie T]

Whoa... what a point.

I've been waiting to hear what his reason was for creating this thread, but if there's a case to be made for why perception is so important, what the media in this country has been doing for decades now would be evidence enough.

Simply stated, it was just to help us think about our thoughts.

 

[Dave L]

I think perceiving ourselves is hard at times. People are like mirrors that reflect back at you, what they think of you at their subconscious level. Normally this happens as you talk with them face to face. And if you have only one person or a small group who reflect back at you, you might end up seeing yourself that way which might not be necessarily true.

An example: someone hypnotizes a person to see you as a horrible spider or something loathsome. And they are your only means of evaluating yourself. How long is it until you also form a bad view of yourself?

This is why we need to see ourselves as God sees us, according to his word. And then when we know our heart is right, we know exactly who we are and how we look no matter who we might encounter.

 

[Willie T]

@Willie T
When I was in high school there were three young men who seemed to always be laughing whenever they saw me around. I was certain that they were laughing at and making fun of me. I guess I was quite paranoid in those days.

During the summer vacation one of them was working with his father repairing a roof behind my house. When he saw me and recognized me, he climbed down off the roof and proved to be one of the friendliest people I had ever met. It embarrassed ,e when I realized how very wrong my first perception of him had been. It changed the way I looked at people I did not know from that day forward.

Is this the opposite of what you meant?

That is exactly my point. You would dislike them to this day if it had not been for that chance encounter.
As we add more information to our judging processes, our eyes see so much more.
This is the basis of the Behavioral Modification classes I taught to ex-cons for a quarter of a century.

 

[lforrest]

So a perception in this context is our interpretation of the actions of others to fit them into our own world view.

Some reasons for this from human nature:
1. People can fit events into patterns they recognize from their experinces.
2. Perhaps they may also internalize it, in some twisted form of empathy known as psychological projection.
3. Those are rational, but there are also childish emotional responces. What so and do did makes me feel bad so he is bad.