Perception and intentional misdirection

Who has the tag line that reads something like "When it comes to preps, lie like a crack head." ?

An excellent line and sage advice.

However you conceal your activities, it will pay dividends in the future.

I prefer to let people think what they like about me. After a long day at work and longer evening in the field I was sweat soaked, filthy, and salt stained this evening. And I was out of cat food. I have half the guys at work convinced that I prefer Nine Lives Pate' to pizza, but that's another story.

I had been enjoying a cigar when I arrived at the Dollar General. I set my cigar down in front of my left front tire as I have for years and went into the store. At the register I made small talk with the cashier and a lady that was in line. I mentioned that I had gotten the last box of Nine Lives variety pate', and how the Super Supper was "my favorite." This got me a little sideways look. I paid for my cat food and walked out into the dark parking lot. Just finishing up loading her groceries is the lady that was in line in front of me, and she's watching me.

I was almost to my car door when I remembered my cigar. I picked it up and dusted it off, and noticed that she was really looking at me now, so I inspected the cigar that I'd just "found" on the ground, and gave it a couple puffs. It was still lit! My lucky day! Seeing her disgust, I made a point of walking away from my car, and around the corner until she had departed. It's a shame that I hadn't thought to start whistling Roger Miller's "King Of The Road."

Her perception was that I was a smelly, filthy, cat food eating vagabond who smoked cigars that he found in parking lots. She left with no connection between me and my car, would never recognize me in clean street clothes, and had no idea that it was my own premium cigar that I was enjoying.

Perception is reality.

 

And I thought I was the only one that did that. But it's also a fact that that perception that people perceive of me living off of the streets , is a reality that I have lived off of the streets ,, and can live off of the streets like that , and survive. Those that look down on me for the way I live , will be long gone when the times really do get rough.

 

Here is the original quote, actually: "When it comes to your preps, lie like a coke head!"
It was a signature line I (stole) had for a while, after it was originally posted by @Gator 45/70 in one of my threads.

I agree with you. I don't give a rat's ass what people think about me. I don't really care what they say either, as long as it is true. I do take issue with people who tend to make up shit about me, though. I find they are pretty shocked to see me confront them about such BS, face to face.

 

Thanks Paul! Nice to be able to give the original author the credit he's due! Solid, timeless advice!

 

Remember back in the 60's(?) Retired folks could only afford to buy cat or dog food on their retirement income..

 

And in 2018 the eat cans of 貓食 .

 

I enjoy the fact I am not attractive, not that I work at it ,it just comes naturally if you let things go .
Mature friendly people make them selves known and you can have some very rewarding conversations .
No need to use $10. words to communicate, and in fact simple conversation is more attractive it seems. I have been in some of those sophisticated conversations and they seem more like a con game ,I usually drift out of .
The problem with looking a bit disheveled is that women with children sometimes get nervous and wonder about your intentions, and this is not a problem except that some are prone to over do it .
Funny how a uniform of any sort has a disarming effect unlike a suit or dress .
Only the intelligent know the clothing is only clothing any one can wear it.
There are millionaires in Texas that wear bib overalls and drive old rattily trucks .
I failed to teach my son these things successfully when he was a kid and insisted on having a new bike even though we had bikes a plenty at home and that having a new bike only attracted others to steal it. The first new bike lasts a week, the second lasted only a few days then when the whole bike could not be taken parts disappeared.
If your not smart enough to keep from dangling a carrot in front of potential thieves your going to loose it.

 

I specifically keep a neon orange safety vest, hardhats, a couple of those lanyard type badge holders, and a couple of those aluminum clipboards around. In a previous life I would do high tower and bridge work. I noticed that no one would mess with the guys with badges and clipboards. We even had a thief stealing welders and compressors in broad daylight using that disguise.
As noted - perception is reality

 

Perception and reality is like concealment and cover...perception and concealment may hide you but when the fecal matter hits the fan only reality and cover really mater...

 

On that some note ,An Idea I have is taking a old trailer and placing it at the entrance to the BOL ,something a raider is sure to investigate .
The perimeter of this area would have microphones wired to one's own security so that in the event intruders speak you not only have a heads up they are unaware of , you might even be aware of their plans .

 

I have really enjoyed this thread. It made me stop and think about perception. I wonder how people perceive me. Actually I do not care but I wonder. I know I can never be a grey person. I tried to blend but it was to different from how I have always conducted myself.

We just had an incident that some of you may have read about in the shoutbox. Some people perceived my son to be a druggie because of his appearance. His ponytail, nose ring and tattoos made people think he was what he really isn't. Looks can be deceiving. That judgement on appearance made me angry but I guess that is the way people are.

 

ep hard to do when you are as good looking as we are....

 

I ran across this link this morning and after reading all the comments (language warning on #45) I found it fascinating to learn new ideas for disarming the media, busy bodies, and anyone else who doesn't require the use of force...yet, but you still want to distance yourself from. It fits well in this thread.

You never know when tactful handling of media types in your area may be necessary.

Vox Popoli: Media training

 

One of the most enjoyable threads I've read in awhile. Seems the older one gets, the less one cares what other people think. I just worry about what I think and am comfortable with myself. That's what counts. Rest of 'em can fly a kite.

 

I was born without much of a filter, don't like neighbors and do not dress to impress. Everyone thinks I don't have a pot to p*ss in or a window to throw it out of. Never bought a new car and don't mow the grass when I should. Dad taught me that it does not matter what anyone else thinks, only what anyone else does. I won't eat cat food though, been in a plant where it's made.

 

Cool story bro, but you assumed she assumed the worst of you.

You probably assumed she was some smug snob looking down on you, the alleged unwashed bum. We can't know for sure what she was thinking. We can't even know if she "noticed" you to the degree you believe.

In reality, there was no deep intuition or insight here. You were just guessing to affirm your own built in bias. And for all she doesn't know about you, you likewise know almost nothing about her. Maybe she was the vagabond playing head games with you. You think you punk'd her, but it could just as easily be the other way around.

I think you might be giving yourself too much credit. That "perception" thing goes both ways.

 

Maybe she was trying to figure out if you were a potential threat to her.