The Art of Bluff

Most people are more ignorant than you think. They only claim to know what they know and most of the time they get away with it. The bluffs of the world are usually the most successful, this is due to their charisma and bravado which, although maybe false, captures our fantasy and impresses us. We, humans, are naturally attracted to people who appear confident and comfortable with themselves. They hold our attention and we worship and idolize them. That is the idea behind politics and mentorship. Among all temperaments, the Cholerics are typically the most confident and outspoken. They are the politicians and thought-leaders, the ones we adore and model our lives after. Why is that? Why do people go out in the blazing sun or frigid cold to vote for one individual or to promote that individual's ideology, even till the extent of death? Perhaps you are assuming it is because that individual's ideology resonates more with you or you believe he/she has the capacity to give you what you want. But that is just something you are feeding yourself with to feel good about your decision. That individual only claims to be able to give you what you want, and you were only captivated by the bravado of such claims, not the substance itself.

We don't actually root for the man or woman who can certainly deliver on what we want, rather we mostly do so for the most charismatic aspirant, the most outspoken, the most confident, simply put, the one who can bluff the loudest. Evidence? How many aspirants end up delivering on their promises after being voted into office? In Africa, it is a norm for our politicians to renege on their campaign promises. They disappoint us, they steal our resources and live the most luxurious lives, but we still go all out for them. Every election they bluff, promising us heaven on earth, but in the end, they fail, but we hardly hold it against them. We remember more how good a politician they are, than how much they actually impacted our lives.

The majority of people are blind, so it is only expected that we wish to follow those who claim to know the way. Since they may be several contenders for the position of the most insightful, we simply follow the one who can shout, or bluff, the loudest. It is general knowledge that money plays a critical role in every election, a very good example is the last United States election. The more money an aspirant has, the more he can promote his/her agenda, and the louder he can claim to be the candidate they have been waiting and hoping for. The man who wins the election is one who can bluff the most about his ambitions, intentions, and agenda, even though he may not really intend to achieve them.

The entire advertising industry is built against a backdrop of bluff. The advertiser only claims the product can do what he says it does. The success of any product is dependant majorly on how much promotion the product enjoys. How much the advertisers can bluff about it. Any product, no matter how good, which doesn't enjoy sufficient bluff or promotion, will most likely fail before it leaves the starting line. Alternatively, a not-so-good product or an average product, but which enjoys tremendous publicity or promotion will perform much better, or maybe even win accolades. Haven't you ever bought a product that the manufacturer claims can do something but in the end, you were disappointed?

Dettagli