Perception Isn't Always Reality

One of the most interesting things I've learned over the years is that two people can look at the exact same situation and walk away with completely different opinions.

Neither person may be lying. Neither person may be trying to be dishonest. They simply saw things through different lenses.

That's perception.

Perception shapes almost everything around us. It influences how we view people, organizations, churches, businesses, politics and even our own families. It determines who we trust, who we support and sometimes who we avoid.

The older I get, the more I realize perception can be both powerful and dangerous.

As a newspaper publisher, I see it every day.

Someone will read a story and believe the newspaper is supporting one side. Another person will read the same story and accuse us of supporting the opposite side. The facts haven't changed. The words haven't changed. The perception changes depending on who is reading it.

The same thing happens in local government. One person sees progress while another sees wasteful spending. One person sees necessary change while another sees abandoning tradition. Often, both individuals are looking at the exact same issue.

Perception becomes reality in their minds.

Social media has only amplified the problem.

Today, people can form an opinion in seconds. They see a headline, a photograph or a short video clip and immediately decide what happened. Many never take the time to learn the full story. In some cases, they don't want the full story because they've already decided what they believe.

That's where perception becomes dangerous.

A rumor can travel across a county before the truth gets out of bed.

We've all seen it happen. Someone hears part of a story and fills in the blanks themselves. Before long, assumptions become facts in the minds of some people. Reputations can be damaged. Friendships can be strained. Communities can become divided.

What I've learned is that perception often says more about the person viewing something than the thing being viewed.

If someone is naturally skeptical, they may see bad intentions everywhere. If someone is trusting, they may overlook obvious problems. Our experiences, beliefs and personalities all influence how we interpret the world around us.

That's why I try to remind myself that there are usually multiple sides to every issue.

The truth is rarely found at the extremes.

It is often somewhere in the middle.

That doesn't mean facts don't matter. They absolutely do. In fact, facts matter more than ever because perception can be so misleading. Before forming an opinion, we should ask questions. We should gather information. We should be willing to listen to viewpoints that challenge our own.

Most importantly, we should remember that what we perceive isn't always reality.

I've been wrong before. You have too.

The longer I live, the more I understand that humility is important because none of us sees the entire picture.

Perception may shape our first impression, but character is revealed over time. Truth eventually surfaces. Facts eventually matter.

And when they do, we often discover things weren't quite the way we first perceived them to be.