Deceptions II

From Classical Mythology: The Greeks, deceptively abandoning their siege of Troy, left a gigantic hollow wooden horse on the field of battle, along with Sinon, who persuaded the Trojans that the horse was an offering to Athena (goddess of war) that would make Troy impregnable. Despite the warnings of Laocoön and Cassandra, the horse was taken inside the city gates. That night Greek warriors emerged from it and opened the gates to let in the returned Greek army, which proceeded to conquer the city. The story is told at length in Book II of the Aeneid and is touched upon in the Odyssey. http://www.britannica.com/topic/Trojan-horse

The “Trojan Horse” is now an iconic and almost universal representation of GRAND Deception. 

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In “Deceptions I”, we considered a broad array of applications of the art of deception – both capricious and malicious.  With so many different ways in which deception can and does emerge in the everyday world, I wondered if we shouldn’t consider ways to harness more of the powers of deception for POSITIVE purposes. 

“Deceptions I” noted the masterful, legitimate and “winning” applications of the art in both magic and sports.  But, it turns out, there are many opportunities, often untapped, to creatively personalize the power of deception to yield more positive outcomes. 

One of these is the art of Deceptive Disinterest.  How many times has a salesman offered you a better deal when you summarily turned down his best offer?  The next time you go shopping for an automobile, wait ‘til the end of the month when salesmen and dealerships have to move cars off the lot to meet their quotas – and then turn down their best offer at least twice.  Even walk away and wait for a phone call! 

If you’re a hapless guy, you’ve probably encountered at least one occasion of Deceptive Disinterest from a “Special Interest” playing “hard-to-get”.  Now YOU’RE the salesman!  Patience, persistence, “Upping Your Game” and sweetening the offer are your best ordnance. 

A deception often misused but extremely valuable in proper context is the setting of artificially low expectations … especially where one has the capacity and veiled inclination to exceed those expectations. 

While the person we first most don’t want to fool – or BE fooled – is ourselves, sometimes self-deception can serve us extremely well – such as fabricating “New Realities” we can grow into or “Stark Realities” to avoid at all cost. 

One of the more popularized methods of self-deception is a little “hokie”:  Numerous would-be motivational gurus claim that success is merely a matter of “Visioning” one’s self being successful.  Thus, an aspiring quarterback, would picture himself throwing winning touchdowns, and, WALLA!, he soon will be throwing winning touchdowns!  However, this “Visioning” exercise isn’t worth a lost breath if the aspiring quarterback hasn’t done the conditioning and repetitions in both practice and real-time competition required to accrue instantaneous field-of-play pattern recognition involving both his receivers and the opposing defense.  There’s a lot more brute force, behind-the-scenes work involved to create on-the-field magic to match the visioning.   It does, nonetheless, help keep one going while mired in the trenches of “becoming”. 

Then there’s the whole self-esteem thing.  Unfortunately, wearing the mask of a “better self” to make ourselves feel worthy … a “winner” … and, of course, entitled … leaves us holding an empty bucket.  And “Participation Trophies” turn out to be hollow currency in the grand scheme of things. 

But the opposite tack has merit and can work wonders.  Setting oneself up as an underdog – i.e., as not being quite so “good” as our Aunt Bea might say we are – and then endeavoring to live UP to as “Great” as we would like to be can pay major dividends.  You might be more inclined to work harder, live more simply – i.e., sustainably, and be more inclined to stay humble.  NOTE: President Lincoln didn’t simply become “Presidential” after he was elected President.   And he didn’t merely seek personal “Greatness”.  He sought and fought for Great Causes – indeed, even for “lost causes” … as an absolutely committed and determined underdog – which made his Greatness inevitable. 

What about presenting yourself as a “Professional”, and then acting like it? 

Other applications include deceiving one’s self that time is moving much faster than the clock is moving, which would have the effect of actually getting projects completed ON TIME.  And making the priority of important projects artificially high – even planting bogus barriers to be overcome – would have a similar effect.  

Picturing ourselves as having insurmountable debt with no discretionary funds could have the effect of eliminating impulse spending and increasing savings and retirement accounts with the sacrifice of only trivial pursuits and instant gratifications.  [I’m reminded of some fairly well-off physicians I’ve know who carried only lunch money in their pockets, couldn’t ever come up with funds to buy Girl Scout cookies, and were always sleuthing the corridors to filch a free cup of coffee!] 

How many times have we deceived ourselves into thinking the next best thing we desire – or can’t really live without – is going to make such a HUGE difference in our lives ... and it really doesn’t???

And let’s be very circumspect about letting Trojan Horses into our wheelhouse.  Cinnabons, double-bacon cheeseburgers, crispy chicken fingers, French Fries, deep-fried Twinkies …and a whole lot more … come with time-bombs attached.  Select your greatest temptation(s) and use whatever deception(s) necessary to distance yourself from inevitable harsh and debilitating consequences.

Deceptionize – Demonize, if necessary – and stop Rationalizing!

Finally, using the deception of making things that matter to someone else matter just as much to me will result in greater empathy, more effective cooperation/collaboration, better alliances, and a more global shot at much bigger successes. 

So, in sum, be agilely and astutely deceptive in making good things – GREAT THINGS -- happen!  Conspire to work some magic … even through self-deception, if necessary.  Surprise somebody with exceptional effort and outcomes – including yourself – and enjoy the fruits!  Quartermaster