Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: IS IMAGE MANAGEMENT MORE IMPORTANT THAN CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
Is FAKING IT worth it?
Click the link above to read the article in my creative writing journal (also pasted below for your convenience):
Regards
Vikram Karve
IS IMAGE MANAGEMENT MORE IMPORTANT THAN CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?
IS IT WORTH FAKING IT?
Food for Thought
By
VIKRAM KARVE
In today’s world, image management is the “in thing”.
Image has replaced Character.
It does not matter who you actually are.
What matters is the image you project of yourself.
First Impressions matter more than lasting relationships – the superficial outer self is considered more important than the deep profound inner self.
Image Management seems to be more important than Character Building.
Image Management has become an industry.
In today’s environment, success does not depend on traditional factors like knowledge, sincerity, hard work, performance, proficiency, efficiency and competence.
It is the superficial image we project that counts and we are judged by what meets the eye.
Image Management plays a role in both your professional and personal life.
So whether it is to get a job, to get married or to succeed in your business, everything depends on the first impression you create.
Yes, first impression is most important now-a-days. You are judged by your clothes, your turnout, how you look, the way you dress, your grooming, your communication skills, the way you speak, your body language, your etiquette – all these superficial outward aspects play a more important role in creating an impression than your actual inherent character and innate qualities.
I have a contrarian view to all this and feel that it is better to be spontaneous and transparent.
In my opinion it is better to act natural, be what your actually are and show the world your true self rather than project a false hyped-up image of yourself just to create good first impressions.
If you resort to “image management” by employing the mask of pretence to project an artificial put-on hyped-up image of yourself, you will always be under constant inner stress to keep up appearances.
When you live behind a mask you always have the fear of being found out, and the “fear of being found out” is one of the most stressful fears.
For how long can you sustain this image you have projected of yourself?
For how long can you masquerade being someone you are actually not?
You may manage to fake it and keep up appearances in short term relationships, but in the long term, one day the “mask” of mendacity will wear away and will come off and your true self will be revealed.
You may be able to create a fantastic first impression on your first date but can you sustain this image throughout your marriage?
Yes, “image management” may work in short term relationships like dating, social “hail fellow well met” friendships and quick-fix work encounters like in marketing etc but will not sustain you in the long-term in your career, marriage, professional and personal relationships.
Is Image Management desirable in today’s world?
What is more important for the youth of today – to “manage” their image or to develop good and sound character?
Should you put on a mask and fake it, or is it better to be your natural self, as you are ?
Should you manipulate and stage-manage your behaviour to suit the environment or should you be your spontaneous true self?
Think about it.
Now-a-days image management has become relevant in in cyberspace too, as all of us who use the internet for social and professional networking have a “cyber image” to project and a “cyber reputation” to maintain.
In the next few posts, I will relate to you some examples of “Image Management” that I have encountered in my personal and professional life.
In today’s world is Image more important than Performance?
Does image management work?
Well here is an apocryphal story which shows how Image Management works can end in a disaster, sometimes with hilarious results.
THE STORY OF THE EXOTIC GOAT
Once there lived a Goat – an ordinary looking goat – who lived wild and free in the mountains.
One day while grazing in the forest, the goat saw a Giraffe, and the goat said to himself, “I wish my neck was as long as the giraffe.”
Lo and Behold!
The goat’s neck suddenly became as long as the giraffe’s.
Delighted, that he could now see far and wide, the goat saw an Eagle flying high in the sky.
“I wish I had wings like that eagle,” wished the goat… and instantaneously, wings appeared on the goat’s body.
Thrilled, the goat flapped its newly acquired wings, when he suddenly he spotted a Tortoise.
The goat admired the beautiful hard shell of the tortoise, and said to himself, “I wish I had a strong hard invincible body like the shell of the tortoise,” and instantly his wish was granted – the goat’s back turned into the shell of a tortoise.
The goat felt ecstatic and impregnable, till he suddenly saw a Cheetah speeding across the horizon running at high speed.
“I wish I had legs like the Cheetah,” the goat wished, and miracle of miracles, the goat’s legs immediately became like the Cheetah.
Now the goat was truly overjoyed, on cloud nine, till he saw the enchanting sight of a beautiful Peacock with majestic feathers dancing magnificently.
“I wish I had gorgeous feathers like the peacock,” he wished, and in a jiffy the goat’s wish was granted, and the goat now had dazzling copious plume of colourful feathers.
Adorned with the neck of the giraffe, the wings of the eagle, the shell of the tortoise, the legs of the Cheetah and the feathers of the peacock, the Goat felt jubilant, supreme, regal, on top of the world, and strutted around grandiosely in majestic pride.
A Hunter passing by suddenly saw this unique stunning creature and he marvelled for a moment as he couldn’t believe his eyes.
The hunter stared in fascination and gawked enthralled and was mesmerized at the bizarre and fascinating creature he had never seen before.
After looking spellbound at the fantastic “Goat” for some time, the hunter recovered his wits and decided to capture this exotic priceless gem.
So the hunter cast his net, caught the “Goat” and sold this amazing “never-seen-before” and “one-of-its-kind” exclusive creature at an astronomical price to the zoo.
Large crowds gathered at the zoo, and everyone gaped in awe at this astonishingly exotic creature, fascinated by the awesome sight.
The exotic “Goat” spent the rest of its life in captivity locked up in a cage, weeping and crying, and he wondered why even those other ordinary goats, his erstwhile fellow brethren, who were wandering about freely and unnoticed in the zoo gardens, did not recognize him.
MORAL OF THE STORY – Don’t try to “manage” your image – just be yourself.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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