Perception is NOT reality

Perception is NOT reality

I have heard the saying "Perception is reality" many, many times.  It seems if nearly everyone has said it at one time or another.  I cringe when I hear it said.... frankly because I know it is rarely if ever true.  Those that continue to say it are allowing those which have bad perception, lets be honest that is a whole bunch of us,  to kinda stay at a developmental level far beneath where we should be....... in all aspects of our lives.  What do I mean by that?  Well the saying is telling those around us that what we perceive to be true is OUR reality and that pretty much puts people in a state of denial if the ACTUAL reality (as if I have to expound on the word reality..... it is REALITY) is something other than what they perceive.

Bear with me here.... this is going to require a bit of thought on both of our parts to make these points.  You can count on this being a multiple part blog post....but worth your time.

I am going to start with a definition of perception..... (go figure)

 per·cep·tion

Pronunciation: \pər-ˈsep-shən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin perception-, perceptio act of perceiving, from percipere
Date: 14th century
1 a : a result of perceiving : observation b : a mental image : concept
2 obsolete : consciousness
3 a : awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation b : physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience
4 a : quick, acute, and intuitive cognition
Dictionary Link click < HERE >

There ya go with a link above to Merriam - Websters dictionary to take a look at it yourself.

Do you see the text that I highlighted?  In the light of experience...... that is where the break down takes place it is our experience...... that could be any experience past or present even the state of mind we are in when what we perceive occurs...... it could even be a lack of experience.

Our experience is what we use to shape the things we perceive and we can not count on that to consistently present the real facts, or reality to us.

Let me give you some examples of where and how perception can not be trusted.  Perception should be used as a starting point for us to gather additional information before we assume anything. ( feel free to click on the word assume to get a definition)

We use to teach these lessons on a regular basis..... the benefit of not jumping to conclusion because things aren't always as they seem.  Why because our perception fails us most of the time.

Remember the story of Chicken Little?  That is a pretty good example how a lack of knowledge and experience impacts Chicken Little's perception of what happened when an acorn fell on his head.  His perception of the situation led to the assumption that the sky was falling and to Chicken Little's reality that the sky was falling. Chicken Little's perception of the situation was wrong, Chicken Little then allowed that perception to become his own reality and then he spreads this to everyone.  As a result of his perception becoming his reality things begin to fall apart.

Here is a very interesting take on the Chicken Little Story done in 1943 by the Walt Disney company it is a short 8 minute cartoon I would take a moment to watch it before you read on.

Below is another example of how our perception can fail us.  This was originally done by a M.I.T professor and at the bottom of the following charts you will find a link to the page for him and the examples that were used here.

Take a close look at the picture below.  While examining it ask yourself....... self...... which of the horse heads or the lighter of the two?

If you look at the two horse heads on the board you are saying to yourself the one on the white square in the middle of the board is the lightest of the two.   But is it?  Because of the way the picture is set up with the shadows and shading of the cylinder it alters our perception.  Our eyes tell us that the one in the middle of the board on the white square is the lightest.   The reality.......  both horses are the EXACT same shade and color.  Oh you disagree..... you are positive that what I am telling you is wrong.... you say that you can see it and you know that the one in the middle of the board is the lightest of the two.  This is where perception has become your reality and based on what you have perceived....( data collected by your senses) you are sure of your answer maybe even willing to take a stand and argue your position on it.

Here is where I can say..... well "perception is reality" and leave you with your reality that is not TRUE or I can take the time to show you that in fact the sky is not falling and here is the REALITY of the situation.



Okay the two pics below are close ups of the board and with a little pop out to help you see that in fact they are the same shade or color.  The pic on the right has a little box that is moved to the horse head in the middle to show you the comparison of the two...... see they are the same shade.

Okay some of you still don't buy it.... and you are saying well they can do anything with computers now and I know what I saw and I don't care what they say........THEY ARE NOT THE SAME SHADE.   Well they are and that is what a lot of us do when we want our perception to be reality.  We cross our arms..... dig our heels in and continue to hold on to our reality.  I am going to give you another pic to help convince you that they are in fact the same shade then the links to the experts that developed this whole picture example with some additional information.

Okay here is the last pic here are the two horse heads being moved from one location to the other...... as you can see as the two cross each other they are the same color or shade.  Once the one from the top moves in to the shaded area of the cylinder it again appears to be lighter than the one in the top position.  There you have it again they are in fact the same color or shade.  If you don't believe me now..... well then to be honest with you I can't really help you.  For those of you that understand and agree that they are the same color or shade you can now say because of this experience.... given the opportunity to see this again in the future your perception would now be altered by this experience and your answer to the first question of which of the two horse heads are lighter?  Your answer would be..... they are the same color or shade..... Wow you guys are so smart.  You can click here and here to see the sources explaining this phenomena.


It occurs to me that the Bible should be the best teacher of the fact that perception is not reality.  There are so many example of what was perceived to be..... was actually not the reality of what was.....

Couple of simple examples..... I am sure if you take a few moment you could come up with many examples in the Bible where perception was not reality......

The Pharisees were perceived to know God..... and know more about God than anyone.  They took pride in the fact that they were the most knowledgeable of all.

The reality..... knowing about God...... does not necessarily equal knowing God or having a closeness with him.  They were so far away from God that they did not even recognize his own Son.

Lets Take Jesus..... The perception was that he was a rabble rouser...... partier..... hung out with the wrong crowd..... there was no way he was close to God and in a lot of peoples mind during that time he couldn't have known much about God either. 

The reality.......  He was God..... no one had a closer relationship with God than him...... fully human and fully God.  He hung with the people that needed salvation  with the very people that were perceived to be the worthless ones.... unimportant and not worth saving.....  even bad........The Pharisee's would have said they are not as good as we are.

Matthew 9:11-13 (ESV)
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Bottom line....... perception is NOT reality.  We have to look a little deeper to get to reality.... take the time don't just assume and if you find someone that has bad perception help them find the reality so they can move on in truth.

What are some examples that you have where your perception has not been reality?

Part II ----- How Perspective Effects Our Perception ------will be comming up next.  We will take a look at perspective, what it means, how it effects what we perceive etc.......  until then don't take any wooden nickles.