Appearance vs. reality.

• Author: Kreyche, Gerald F.

For centuries, most people scoffed at the notion that the Earth was round. To all appearances, it was flat, and there are members of the Flat Earth Society who still argue it is so. The educated, though, even in Aristotle's time, knew it was round, as evidenced by the Earth's shadow on the moon during an eclipse.

Yet, although people loudly proclaim that "appearances are deceptive," they still tend to accept appearance over reality. Despite the adage that "one can't tell a book by its cover" or a record by its cover jacket, both often are sold on that very basis. Time and again, we are told to "keep up appearances" (although the young no longer seem much concerned about this), and cynics even claim that appearances are the essence of politics. In short, in nearly every aspect of life. perceptions--i.e., appearances--overrun reality. Indeed, perception is the very basis of most modern advertising.

Form vs. function

Let's examine some obvious and then some not so obvious examples. On many men's shirts and women's blouses, where one finds pocket flaps, one would expect pockets. Not so! We assume their functionality, but they are there only for decoration. We are similarly deceived by shoulder pads, wonder bras, breast implants, and now fanny enhancers.

Many model homes on display tend to be filled with downsized furniture that makes the rooms look larger than they really are. They also contain plastic plants so realistic that some caretakers even water them. When buyers move their overstuffed sofas and chairs into their new homes, they are amazed at how crowded the rooms become.

In Las Vegas, I once stopped to admire a beautifully frosted cake in a display case in a restaurant adjoining the gambling house. I asked if it were real and was told that only the frosting was. Unwittingly, it was a commentary on Las Vegas itself.

We have been conned into forgetting that the artificial turf of many stadiums is not really grass, although the players are painfully aware, as it makes them more injury prone. We tend to forget that the boulders and stone walls found in many zoos to give a natural setting are artificial constructions of different materials.

Trial lawyers realize how important appearances are. Often, when they defend long-haired and unkempt young hoodlums in court, they make sure the defendant is dressed in a suit (probably for the first time) and is well-groomed. What a different impression that makes on the jury as opposed to a defendant...