There is a bit of a brouhaha -- it will blow over quickly and soon be forgotten -- in regards to an ad run by the GOP in the West Virginia's Senatorial race. It turns out the production company that produced the ad put out a call for actors with "a 'hicky' Blue Collar look." Needless to say, this snafu has embarrassed the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee and has led many to charge that conservatives are trying to manipulate public opinion through the use of stereotypical imagery.
However, before liberals and progressives get too much up in arms, the Democratic Party plays the same game. If we are at all honest with ourselves, the entire realm of politics is about image more than anything else. It's all about which group can project the best images to get people to vote for their candidates. These images, of course, rarely contain much of any substance. All that matters is what you can dupe people into seeing, thinking or believing.
But we would be unfair if we acted as if the problem is born by politics alone. It truly is a ubiquitous problem that touches every aspect of our collective AND individual lives. Religion, for example, has far more to do with image than substance. It is based on personal belief and faith, not on experiments and observations that can be replicated in a laboratory.
Look at all the opulent churches, synagogues, mosques and holy shrines throughout the world. One of the chief motivations with all the ornamentation is to create the image that the deity has rewarded the faithful with prosperity and, if you want to be successful too, then come on in!
Image also is a big deal in our individual lives. Been fired from a job? We massage our resume so that the termination doesn't negatively affect our public image and our own self-image as well. Meet that special someone? In early courtship, it's not uncommon at all to put on a few airs. We want to sell the other person on us before we feel trustful enough to "let down our hair."
But, as the Taoist sages remind us again and again, image is a product of desire. When we accept life and ourselves for what and who we are, there is no need to project anything but what is. Image comes into play when we desire something we think we must have. So, we project a false picture to increase the odds of getting what we want.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
However, before liberals and progressives get too much up in arms, the Democratic Party plays the same game. If we are at all honest with ourselves, the entire realm of politics is about image more than anything else. It's all about which group can project the best images to get people to vote for their candidates. These images, of course, rarely contain much of any substance. All that matters is what you can dupe people into seeing, thinking or believing.
But we would be unfair if we acted as if the problem is born by politics alone. It truly is a ubiquitous problem that touches every aspect of our collective AND individual lives. Religion, for example, has far more to do with image than substance. It is based on personal belief and faith, not on experiments and observations that can be replicated in a laboratory.
Look at all the opulent churches, synagogues, mosques and holy shrines throughout the world. One of the chief motivations with all the ornamentation is to create the image that the deity has rewarded the faithful with prosperity and, if you want to be successful too, then come on in!
Image also is a big deal in our individual lives. Been fired from a job? We massage our resume so that the termination doesn't negatively affect our public image and our own self-image as well. Meet that special someone? In early courtship, it's not uncommon at all to put on a few airs. We want to sell the other person on us before we feel trustful enough to "let down our hair."
But, as the Taoist sages remind us again and again, image is a product of desire. When we accept life and ourselves for what and who we are, there is no need to project anything but what is. Image comes into play when we desire something we think we must have. So, we project a false picture to increase the odds of getting what we want.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
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