One's image, reputation and character.

Today image matters. It has become more important than who or what you actually are.

A rogue or cruel or debauch or bungler or more so even a mafia has no need to worry if he has built an image that he is the one who has earned the reputation of being humble and benign. He poses himself to be someone who can relieve you from distress. 

The point I want to emphasize is- one's real character is often far removed from the reputation that one enjoys.

 It's the reputation or image, not the true character of a person, that determines your interest in him/her.

That is why people employ a number of techniques to improve, build and construct their image. Some of these techniques include showing sympathy without actual help despite being capable of doing so,making donations, doing acts of charity aimed at building image and popularity.

              In many cases posing as man of honesty & integrity while being otherwise in reality serves as a great ruse to hoodwink people.

These are the ways how goodwill and reputation in present days is acquired.

 It helps one grow in career;be it service, business or employment. 

Some in government service earn goodwill of a competent officer not on the basis of merit but through soft skills bordering on buttering & cringing their bosses.

 Needless to say that today practically this is the way we get so called "cozy" and "rozy" postings.

Generally speaking, it's not one's merit or competence but his 'acquired connections' with those in power that matter critically in respect of transfer or postings. 

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With growth in career or rise in business people even go to engage professionals who look after their image based reputation. These professionals are on the payroll of such successful personalities. Needless to say they work on the image building exercise for these so called successful people. 

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Nobody has time and resources to go deep to know your internal worth or character.

Hence it's on the basis of this image and reputation upon which often a decision is required to be made.

One very important thing to know about image is that it's highly fragile to develop a crack.       

          Moreover, sometimes it gets shattered at the slightest stroke. Still more important to know is the fact that once the image suffers even a mild crack that crack is there to stay in the image. 

That is why people can go to do anything to protect their image. It's good to protect our image by being alert in our deeds but to safeguard it by tricks of sorts is definitely not good.

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Your rivals are not only aware of this but they are skilled also in using such crack to their advantage. Rather they are constantly on their search as to how to discover this crack in your image. If they don't find any they may go on to create and sometimes invent it to tarnish your image. 

For this they employ a number of techniques to damage your image based reputation in the same way as you are busy building it.

Misrepresentation, misinformation, machinations, conspiracies, manufacturing false complaints etc. are a few among them.

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Today whether people do a thing or not, they must do that which builds their image.

     But this shortcut to success is not long lasting.

लखि सुबेष जग बंचक जेऊ

बेष प्रताप पूजिअहिं तेऊ

उघरहिं होइ न अंत निबाहू

कालनेमि जिमि रावण राहू

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     Last but not the least; there are some people, though less in number,who don't bother for their image. 

They prefer to look as they are.

 It should not surprise us if they are found in a disadvantageous situation for their inability to hide themselves behind the ruse of rosy presentation & articulations.

Generally speaking, such people don't succeed in the same way as in the case of image conscious people. Such people are crude but talented ones but they lack in tact or presentation.

 But their success, if any or howsoever small, is durable or lasting. 

The above writing is not to suggest that one should not be image conscious. What is sought to be convinced is that we should refrain from building false image of ourselves in the society by resorting to techniques of sorts.

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A genuine person is far better than one who enjoys a good image while being otherwise in reality.

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A genuine person is one whose image is not based on hiding techniques or SFX (special effects) or VFX(visual effects).

 In fact, he doesn't need them.

 His mirror image is he himself.

R.R. Prabhakar.

24.09.2023.