By Marilyn Kittelman
Perception is reality, or so the saying goes. That has never been more true than today as evidenced by the Presidential election cycle. And should people not like the perception, they just lie and create a new reality. It isn’t true, but who cares, right?
Using the Donald Trump phenomena for the sake of example, consider the perception by the majority (according to what the media tells us) that anyone who doesn’t vote for Trump wants Hillary to win. It isn’t true, but after countless hours of free media coverage, as they extol Trumps virtues and quell any who might state the obvious, the majority of sheeple (people who follow along like sheep) started to believe it. And then they repeat it, and thus the perception is that if Trump doesn’t win it is the fault of everyone but Trump.
Let’s consider actual reality for a moment rather than the perception of such. Using Trump once again, it’s a fact that he had four failed marriages, he publically joked about being sexually attracted to his daughter, he not only supported the practice of killing unborn babies, including those murdered just before birth using the barbaric method of partial birth abortion. He commonly uses foul language, is rude, resorts to name calling during debates, and is disrespectful to women. Plus he’s heavily invested in casinos. Those facts aren’t perception, they are reality.
The perception comes in with groups like Christians for Trump. The facts ought to make Christians run for the hills. But in reality, many are frustrated enough with the current leadership, and enjoy listening to Trump spout off things they wish they had the courage to say, that they will create their own justification as to why, as a Christian, they can still support him.
The reality is that Trump isn’t what he, or his supporters, say he is. The perception is that if they really, really wish it enough he will be that guy. And then there is lying.
Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel did a live interview this week with people on the streets of California, dozens of them. He asked if they voted in the ‘Super Tuesday’ Primary on March 1. Person after person he interviewed said they voted that day in California. Several described their polling place, the number of people attending, who they cast a vote for, and numerous other details.
One man was asked if he was charged the customary fee to vote. He said most definitely. How much was he charged - $5 or $10? He said $10.
Another was told that they were giving out a lot of swag this year at the polling places and was asked what she got. She replied, “A really nice coffee mug”.
How did one voter like the new hologram voting machine? While he did like it, he said he doesn’t really trust all the new technology. Another admitted that voting by just blinking his eyes didn’t install great confidence in the system.
Guess what? All of those interviewed lied! They didn’t imply something. They just looked right at the interviewer and lied through their teeth. How do I know that? Because in the world of reality, where I live, the California primary won’t take place until June 7.
By the way… gifts, inducements, and paying people to vote are all illegal, and there is no such thing as a hologram or blinking to vote machines. That didn’t stop any of the dozens being interviewed to lie without remorse to encourage the perception that they had.
Is it any wonder the public supports and overlooks the actions of some candidates who lie and pretend to be something they are not? Voters want someone like them, not someone honest.
There is a fascinating podcast you can listen to on your phone or computer that my daughter turned me on to this week, there is also a book by the same name “Freakonomics”. It’s quite fascinating and explores real life situations and events from an angle you may not have thought of. Much of what they cover helps you distinguish between reality and the media powered perception we’ve been led to believe.
For instance, we are all conditioned to understand that drinking and driving is bad and dangerous. You could kill yourself or others.
So, true or false? If you are at a bar and overserved, it is safer for you to walk home than drive. Did you answer true? Then you would be wrong! In fact, a scientific study proved that you are actually 8 times safer to drive home drunk than to walk home. Say what? Now before I end up with a raft of hate mail, I am not encouraging you to drink and drive, just stating the facts.
And then there’s prostitution. Before World War II if men wanted sex they got married or paid a prostitute. In the 1930’s one in five men lost their virginity to a prostitute. ‘Ladies of the Night’ were paid well. Contrary to perception, it wasn’t increased policing that hurt prostitutes, it was women’s liberation. When women freed themselves of the social stigmas, they began to give away sexual favors for free. There went the need for men to marry or pay for sex.
Women’s Liberation is a “lose, lose” for women.
To take the show a step further, the perception that life was better for women who were liberated, isn’t true. Men are chastised for complimenting a lady, holding the door for her, and even offering to buy her a meal. And then with the “why buy the cow, when the milk is free” ideology, as mom used to say, fewer women and children in this brave new world have the stability of marriage or both parents in the home.
Perhaps when this election cycle is history and we have a new president, one way or the other, we will be able to start once again to appreciate the truth. But until then, remember if you don’t have the right answer, or it’s boring, it’s okay to just make up a more enjoyable response.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 3:44PM 
GOP candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz (Photo: Twitter)
