hazy weather, hazy minds?

Several issues that has been in the news lately got me thinking about how powerful perception or misperception is:

• Haze & API - The government decided to lift the secrecy surrounding the API by releasing the API figures to the public; how will this move be perceived and what does it signifiy about the present administration? Only a day before it was decided that the API figures were released, the DPM made a statement saying that the government had no plans to release them and a day after it was released, he accused some foreign media (aren't it always?) of distorting the facts and providing a misleading picture of the current haze situation; how will the public perceive the cabinet's sudden decision to overturn the 8 year ban of the release of the API figures recently trumpeted by the DPM? The conventional reason given by the government for not dilvulging the API figures is out of fear that it will be exxagerated and mistreperted, hence chasing away tourists and visitors; how will the public - who doesn't have the luxury of leaving the country whenever an environmental catastrophe occurs - perceive this logic which seemed to put the well-being of tourists ahead that of its citizens?

• Approved Permits (AP) - While the government's decision to release the list of name of AP holders is certainly laudable, the lists and statistics made public were reportedly riddled with inaccuracies and inconsistencies; how will this slight oversight affect the public's perception towards the sincerity of the government and accountability of this policy? The MIT minister have stubbornly refused to bow to the pressures for a clearer and better explanation of the inctricacies of the AP policty and even lashed back unabashedly at her detractors - even other cabinet members; how will the public perceive her apparent inability to appreciate the weight of the situation bearing down on her and the entire administration? The MIT minister was absent during the previous cabinet meeting, citing health reasons before jet-setting to Australia and at the same time, giving us new insights into the layout of her ministry building as she tries to avoid nosy and inquisitive reporters; how will her 'convenient' absence at the cabinet meeting and determination to escape from reporters be perceived by the public especially about her credibility and accountability?

• Incurable tendencies - Person A seemed to be studying at a new place every few months or so, always being offered new scholarships to study at a new place - even when it seemed a little too often; how will the people around him perceive him especially those who have known him/her for a long time thus being very familiar with his/her antics? Person B claims that he/she have relatives (however distant) in almost 20 cities around the globe and each of them managed to become rather succesful at each respective places, becoming Nobel laureates and restaurant owners; how will other people perceive him/her whenever he/she unabashedly makes one of those grandiose claims of his/hers? Person C have a tendency to exxagerate and distort the truths about his/her life story - from boasting about performing with a famous pianist at the DFP to keeping a whole collection of orchestral instruments in his/herhouse ; when the cat is finally out of the bag, how will others perceive him and more importantly, how will others view what he/she perceived of them?
  

In Robert Bolt's Man for All Seasons, one character said to the main character, 'Not only you are honest, but you are known to be honest!' which underscores how powerful perception (or in the case of misperception, how damning) could be to a person.

Indeed, sometimes it is not what your intentions or actions are that matters, but rather how others will perceive that particular intention or action in the context of the surrounding circumstances.

I do not mean to say that only the outward superficial image of a person is important; but just that we all live in glass houses and we would do well to remember that each of our actions will inevitably be judged according to the prevailing sentiments about you.

Some people might balk at this notion, but if you have given people every reason to trust you and not perceive you in the most unfavourable light, the chasm between how other's perceive you and your true self won't be that wide - if it exists at all. In fact, it is exactly when you give other people a reason to doubt you that this whole credibility crisis ensues.

Granted, there are some people who choose to just skim the surface while comfortably ignoring the real substantial stuffs. But often, it is not so much about them but more about us.

For some, their perception will always be clouded and their view opaque; but for most of us, it's just due the hazy weather.


UPDATE: Read this article which follow the same vein of approach of this post - but better written.