“What You See Is All There Is”
This sentence is one of the biggest tricks your mind plays on you — and it’s hurting your psyche
If reality were a book, your brain would be a sneaky, old-school editor. Sneaky because it modifies your perception without letting you know, and old-school because it relies on ancient survival instincts that didn’t keep up with our growth.
The result? You seldom get the whole picture of whatever happens around you, which translates into inaccurate judgments and hasty conclusions. Here, let’s see that in action through two short stories.
Story #1
In summer 2020, I decided to invest a fraction of my Bitcoin wallet. After a Linkedin chat with a crypto-trader, I hopped on a startup-like platform and quickly made my first dollar. One week later, I made $50. Things looked good, but I didn’t want to rush it — at least it has been the case until my niece was diagnosed with cancer.
Although my sister could afford the treatment, I felt a colossal urge to help her, so I went all-in with my crypto-investment. I injected all 1.54 bitcoins, and that’s when I discovered that the platform was a scam, a well-crafted one. They lure you in with initial gains, and when you go big enough, they, well, disappear. It was right before Bitcoin…
