Untrue Truths

Here's something I hate: The use of catchphrases that, at first glance seem true so everyone accepts them as truth, but, in reality are not true at all. For example, a phrase I often here is, "Perception is Reality." You may not think you're an unkind person but if that's how others perceive you, then maybe you really are. Makes sense, right? But how often are the perception of others based on misperceptions or even lies? If I started telling friends, family and others that my father was gay, many of them are likely to believe me. Especially those who don't know my father or who are not willing to get to know him well enough to find out the truth. The fact is, no matter how many people might believe that my father is gay doesn't make it true. (He's not gay, by the way.) Maybe a more accurate phrase would be, "Misperception is Reality." That might help to point out the damaging absurdity of that kind of thinking.