Looking Below The Surface

A quick glance at the label led me to conclude that we had gotten a pretty good deal. But a closer look revealed the sad truth: what we had bought was only a lookalike, an imitation, a sham. It was inexpensive, but the fancy packaging made it appear far more valuable. Why would someone go to such efforts to sell a can opener?

The label's wording was curiously captivating: "Not the same as seen on TV, but similar." My eyes had been drawn to the words "the same as seen on TV," and that's all that I had seen the first time. Not being a TV watcher, I didn't know what it meant, but it sounded impressive. A can opener would have to be pretty good to justify TV advertising.

I expect that many of us have fallen for the ploy of making decisions on the basis of impressions. Some have been lured by the glittering appeal of a particular profession. Yet they may find it to be not the same as seen on TV, maybe not even all that similar. Perhaps others have committed themselves to a political candidate or a spiritual leader before discovering striking differences with the media image.

The fellow with emphysema doesn't resemble the billboard image of the rugged "Marlboro man." Elvis impersonators are not the same as Elvis.

Regrettably, media images shape the way we think in some very crucial areas of life. With a few incredible sidesteps and a dash of witty words, quick-fix artists can effortlessly resolve any problem -- in only 30 minutes. It takes me longer than that to wash a load of dirty socks.

A happy, successful life, these images crow, is assured when we get what we want when we want it. Marriage vows and moral restraint are outdated. The end justifies the means. And in true storybook fashion, all live happily ever after. But pull back the curtain for a peek into the personal lives of the players. You'll see a sadder story.

With blessings from the Oval Office, even the sleaziest sleaze is being cast in the light of respectability. A mighty rosy picture indeed. But the image is only two-dimensional. It simply does not show the terrifying depths of the potholes in this road to moral looseness.

The beauty and character of good wood stands the test of time; cheap veneer soon wears thin. What's below the surface makes the difference. Real quality is more than skin-deep and does not need a glittery image to prove its worth.

I bear little outward resemblance to the trim young man my wife married in 1967. Hopefully, however, there's something worthwhile below the weathered surface. That's where we need to be looking anyway. Images and impressions probably don't tell the whole story.

Copyright 1999 James McAlister

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