Lesson 3: Perception of Reality

In our last two articles, we explored the greatest amount of pleasure for least amount of work operating
system that causes all the actions of both societies and individuals. Societies enter into treaties and trade agreements
based on what will provide the greatest benefit for its citizens, and they are just as quick to enter into a war if it serves
their self interest. Even when we enter into conflicts for humanitarian reasons, there is always self benefit involved,
even if it is only the pleasure from doing what that society considers to be morally right.
It is also clear that the desires and priorities of countries around the world vary tremendously. This is why
someone from Japan or France seems foreign to someone from the United States and vice versa. This difference exists
even when the countries share a common language, such as the United States, England and Australia. The unique
characteristics of a society in turn influence the way the members of that society perceive the events around them.
Since each society is different, each will project a different picture of reality to its members. It is true that we all see the
same general picture (meaning plants, animals, structures, other people) and the actions of those elements, but because
of the influence of the environment regarding the prioritization of our desires, our perception of those elements is
greatly skewed.
Lets take a simple example. In the United States, most people think of dogs as companions who bring love and
laughter to the family. However, in many parts of the world, dogs are considered prime eating, which is a repulsive idea
to most Americans. In still other parts of the world, the thought of a dog will evoke intense fear, since dogs are primarily
used as weapons of terror to keep the population under control. People might all be looking at exactly the same dog,
but what they perceive will be totally different based on the culture in which they were raised.
Another example of the different prioritization of countries is the importance of financial success in America as
opposed to the attainment of knowledge in Finland (which ranks at the top of the charts in education ranking while the
USA is not even in the top 10). Although many people in America have a strong desire for education, our society tells us
that financial success is the top priority. In fact, in many cases, the desire for higher education is simply in order to be
able to be more successful financially. If we can make more money, then we can afford to buy more of the things that
society is constantly telling us are important. To verify this, simply watch television for a few hours and count the
number of ads intended to talk you into buying a certain product as opposed to the number of ads encouraging you to
go to college.

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Societies are not limited to national boundaries. Each of us participates in many different societies each day, and
each of these has an influence over us. Whether it is a work environment, a club of some type, a church or religious
organization, or simply a collection of friends, the values and priorities of that group will be passed on to its members in
direct relationship to the importance that the individual places on that particular group. Self improvement groups such
as Alcoholics Anonymous or diet clubs actually rely specifically on this influence to help members modify their behavior.
So our society to a limited extent determines our desires, but to a much greater degree prioritizes our desires.
This influence is not as a rule noticed. We believe to a large extent that we set our own priorities and determine our own
paths. Yet, the subtlety contained in the manner that society influences us causes those desires to be shaped and
prioritized without any conscious notice by ourselves.
A perfect example of this is in the family unit where the political opinions of the father or mother are almost
always accepted as right or wrong automatically until the child leaves the house and begins to receive influence
from other sources. As the child becomes more independent of his family, factors such as his friends, the news media,
and his own personal experiences will begin to have more and more influence over his opinions.
Influence can also be either positive or negative (when compared to the general values of the larger society). A
teenager who associates with other teens who all plan to go to college is far more likely to attend college himself than
one who hangs out with teens who have already dropped out of high school. Gangs are a major problem in many large
cities, where the desires and priorities of the gangs involve predominantly illegal activities. Yet, this society has a
tremendous power over its young members who view the gang as a way to belong and be accepted.
This negative influence can operate at the national level as well, where the actions of one society has taken on a
destructive nature toward other societies. Never was there a clearer example than in 1930s Germany where the
government had such an incredibly powerful influence over its citizens that they were willing to commit atrocities that
would otherwise be unthinkable.
But the power of society also has the potential to convey the most sublime goals and aspirations to its people.
Martin Luther King evoked the power of a society that was inspired by him to change the nature of race relationships in
the 1960s. John F. Kennedy captured the vision of not just the country but the world when he stated that the USA would
place a man on the moon by the end of the decade, and the country rallied together to make this a reality. In other
words, society as a whole is an influencing force that allows us to fulfill any aspiration we might feel simply by choosing
one society over another one influencing force over another.

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Thus, if one has an aspiration to be a great musician, then one can consciously place oneself in an environment
that constantly provides him with the importance of achieving this goal. The same is true for someone who wants to quit
smoking or someone who wants to become a financial success. While success in these endeavors may depend on other
factors (such as an inherent ability in these areas), the influence of the environment will virtually guarantee that the
person makes substantial progress towards accomplishing his goal.
On the other hand, someone who has even the loftiest of visions may find that these dreams evaporate if he is
unable to find a society that values them and encourages him to continue with them. If the people of the United States
had been in the middle of a great depression where all their energy was needed simply for survival, JFKs dream of
placing a man on the moon could never have happened.
By recognizing the role that society plays in the decisions of its people, we can make better decisions on how to
use this influence for the benefit of all societies. But this is not the complete picture yet. Society may be a powerful
factor in the way we see the world around us, our perception is not just based upon these external influences. Perhaps
our perception of reality is also based upon qualities that exist within us, which will be the topic of our next article.

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