Is perception the new reality? https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-perception-the-new-reality <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>No two people see anything the same way, yet for so many years reality is what life was about. I cannot help but notice that in the modern world perception has overcome reality. I can understand this on the level of things of sentimental value and our beliefs; but, how is it that reality has gone by the wayside in favor of what one person sees and perceives to be right or wrong? <br /><br />In the military what one service member may see or believe to be harassment when it is actually redirection or correction of maladjusted behavior. Since when does the needs of the one over ride the mission of the unit and individual soldier?<br />I remember when the overall mission came first and stepping on the toes of someone was commonplace, now with the &quot;politically correct&quot; movement one comes before the many.<br /><br />Is this just my perception or do others of you feel the same way? Wed, 18 Feb 2015 16:52:20 -0500 Is perception the new reality? https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-perception-the-new-reality <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>No two people see anything the same way, yet for so many years reality is what life was about. I cannot help but notice that in the modern world perception has overcome reality. I can understand this on the level of things of sentimental value and our beliefs; but, how is it that reality has gone by the wayside in favor of what one person sees and perceives to be right or wrong? <br /><br />In the military what one service member may see or believe to be harassment when it is actually redirection or correction of maladjusted behavior. Since when does the needs of the one over ride the mission of the unit and individual soldier?<br />I remember when the overall mission came first and stepping on the toes of someone was commonplace, now with the &quot;politically correct&quot; movement one comes before the many.<br /><br />Is this just my perception or do others of you feel the same way? SPC Charles Brown Wed, 18 Feb 2015 16:52:20 -0500 2015-02-18T16:52:20-05:00 Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2015 6:40 PM https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-perception-the-new-reality?n=484013&urlhash=484013 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Agreed, <a class="dark-link bold-link" role="profile-hover" data-qtip-container="body" data-id="84498" data-source-page-controller="question_response_contents" href="/profiles/84498-spc-charles-brown">SPC Charles Brown</a>. They do say that perception is reality, but that&#39;s in another context.<br /><br />I think the phenomenon of which you speak has to do with millennials and that&#39;s covered in a separate discussion thread. Nowadays some young Soldiers seem to think they are entitled to this and to that, and that things should change to suit them. It was much different in my day, better I might even say -- when, as you say, the mission came first and sometimes my needs had to take a back seat.<br /><br />Here&#39;s the thread I&#39;m talking about:<br /> <br /><a target="_blank" href="https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/leadership-in-a-changing-army-of-entitled-soldiers">https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/leadership-in-a-changing-army-of-entitled-soldiers</a> CW5 Private RallyPoint Member Wed, 18 Feb 2015 18:40:07 -0500 2015-02-18T18:40:07-05:00 Response by SP5 Michael Rathbun made Feb 18 at 2015 7:01 PM https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-perception-the-new-reality?n=484067&urlhash=484067 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>In the civilian world of manufacturing, sales and customer service (that last one was the one I received superb training in the Army for) the word is: <br /><br />The Customer&#39;s perception IS reality. If some cusstomers[sic] think your product is crap, then for that segment of the market, your product IS crap, and they will react accordingly and tell all their friends and business contacts.<br /><br />However, I think you have a different problem in mind. One thing I have found to be a way of lowering the collective blood pressure is:<br /><br />The Principle of Innocent Construction. (This actually derives from defamation law, but it works here.)<br /><br />Whenever there is more than one possible interpretation of a statement or action, start by assuming the least harmful / most innocent to be the case, and work up from there if that turns out not to be the case.<br /><br />This has put out a number of potentially catastrophic fires amongst team members at several different places I have worked.<br /><br />(NOTE: NOT to be applied in the case of home invasion, bodily assault or other overtly hostile activities.) SP5 Michael Rathbun Wed, 18 Feb 2015 19:01:53 -0500 2015-02-18T19:01:53-05:00 Response by PFC David Dabney made Feb 19 at 2015 12:31 AM https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-perception-the-new-reality?n=484706&urlhash=484706 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>You perceive the issue perfectly, CPL. Seems more are worried about &#39;what&#39;s in it for me&#39; as opposed to &#39;the mission comes first&#39;. PFC David Dabney Thu, 19 Feb 2015 00:31:14 -0500 2015-02-19T00:31:14-05:00 Response by LCpl Stephen Rose made Sep 23 at 2015 12:36 PM https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-perception-the-new-reality?n=987465&urlhash=987465 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>We&#39;re just like computers. We draw conclusions of life events based off all our knowledge and past experiences. If you don&#39;t put in all the data correctly, you don&#39;t get the right answer. Our minds work the same way. Someone who hasn&#39;t had the life experience to mature might mistake someone correcting their malfunction as harassment like you stated because they&#39;ve never been corrected or never grew up enough to admit their own mistakes. They possibly could have been harassed all their life growing up and they perceive any negative interactions with others as harassment because that&#39;s all they know. LCpl Stephen Rose Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:36:04 -0400 2015-09-23T12:36:04-04:00 2015-02-18T16:52:20-05:00