Perception

[onyxhawke]

Perhaps the most interesting balancing act in the world is that of balancing the world's view of you as articulated in nuance, deed, and word by those around you and your own view of self. Sometimes, the world has a more accurate view of you than you yourself can claim, or will admit to. Sometimes the world, or at least a vocal portion has a view of you that just defies logical interpretation, history and observed current events. In entertainment we often see this angle worked for good laughs or to teach a moral. In philosophy it is sometimes used to make a case for something many would consider indefensible, simply to remind observers that it is not usually possible to know how others think, even if you know what they think. Some segments of the field of psychology state that perception is reality and that even the appearance of agreement between multiple parties perceptions does not prove that a thing is objectively real, simply that the individuals involved perceive an agreement.

For the purposes of fiction, when all the points of view on a given thing, person or event are the same it is usually not worth repeating it over and over from each point of view as often happens in real life. But bringing out the different perceptions about something are often as revealing about the point of view character as they are about whatever is being described through their mind. I found this article and more importantly the map inspirational for this piece, which while it says something about me that I find it mostly laughable says tons about the mind behind the map, and his supporters.


Thanks to mzmadmike for pointing me at this posts catalyst.

Comments

[cedunkley.livejournal.com]

I saw that article when it came out last week and got quite a chuckle from it. This is one of those cases where I have to wonder: "Does this guy really believe what he's selling or is he simply selling what he believes his audience wants to hear?"

[onyxhawke.livejournal.com]

I'm not entirely sure i want to know the answer to that question.

[matapam.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure what's funnier. The idea Texas doing anything except becoming more independent, or Californians trying to cope with the concept of _them_ actually getting by with what the average Chinese gets by on.

Now, a lot of the "progressive" NE joining with the Eastern parts of Canada. Yeah. And the middle grain belt states and provinces all sticking together, and the high fiber west, okay. But not all as a single monolithic "Canada Plus".

Of course the idea that the US would self destruct to that extent, and the rest of the world be in any condition to take advantage of it, is also insane.

[kennycelican.livejournal.com]

I read the first page of the article and wasn't in the mood to continue, having mentally already filed it under 'roughly as plausible as bad speculative fiction / videogame backstories I've read'. So I scrolled down to the map. I was getting a feeling of deja vu from the map for about thirty seconds before I realized where I remembered it from.

So, it looks like the good professor has played Fortress America? He's certainly cribbed the backstory.