SLEDGEHAMMER EXCLUSIVE: “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” Albert Einstein

‘Perception is Reality’ was actually first coined by Rolling Stone magazine some 20 years ago, who used it as a theme for an advertising campaign. The theme played off the idea that most people perceived Rolling Stone magazine as a publication that was read by druggies, hippies and rock fans, whereas the reality was that the magazine’s readership actually included very affluent, well-educated readers.

But theme of their message was also the basis of how advertising works: if you repeat a perception long enough, it can become a reality.

What others say about us, or our perception of what they think based on the reactions of others, tends to act as a mirror for how we see ourselves.
A lot of young people fall into this trap.

There’s a saying in advertising circles: “The more you tell, the more you sell.” You have to keep repeating the message because not everyone understands the message the first time they hear, see or read it.

Repetition is the fuel of the advertising money pump.

Things aren’t always what they seem. Marketers and magicians rely on this fact to make you see things - the way they want you too see them. Artists do too.

This belief that perception shapes reality has deep roots in magic, mystery and myth that is enjoying a virtual renaissance in recent times. The Harry Potter movies are but another example of the power of this idea. Harry Potter is not a fluke hit, but is a leading example of many of the most popular movies that promote this theme. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and a host of other movies, TV and books also fit into this category.

So does magic explain the perception that Avril Lavigne’s world tour The Best Damn World Tour is ‘too sexy’ because some individuals stereotyped singers with names like Avril to be such? Nothing could be further from the truth.

Can an entire government be changed based on ONE perception?

The suggestion by Mr Teflon, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, ‘self-proclaimed Prime Minister in waiting’, that Pakatan Rakyat will take over September 16 is the biggest perception wave ever to hit the imagination of al Malaysians!

Can this snowball into a reality and become a self-fulfilling prophecy?

The problem, of course, is that an over reliance on other people’s perception, and how it pertains to our self esteem, can lead to psychological issues.

Too much of a reliance on positive feedback from others puts us in the vulnerable position of creating an environment in which others can make or break us.

So do the perceptions about our Prime Minister defy the realities of his persona?

Those who slam him on his slumber may be the ones who are the dumber, as he continues to mystify his critics.

While he may have broken one of the founding tenets of the MSC with the ‘blocking’ of Malaysia Today’s blogsite, his recent statement during the launch of Bernama Web TV at his office confounds them even further, “The media should not be afraid of or feel apologetic in upholding the truth. Hold steadfastly to the principle of truth because the credibility of any institution depends on how strongly the institution upholds the truth.”

Or did he take a leaf out of McCann Erickson’s credo: Truth Well Told!

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