I am most likely just going to be Captain Obvious in this post, but it is my post so chill out Lieutenant Karen.
The recent Dreem Word of the Week which ended yesterday, was for the word Illusion.
I am sure there is any amount of fiction or examples I could write about. That takes brain power, and I am 10 points short of a brick in that department.
As with most posts, the title comes first. Illusion of control sounds so cool. My head was stuck on "Illusion of Power" for a brief moment, but I slapped that straight white boy and disowned it.
Illusion of control I think is the one we are most familiar with. If Grammarly would please stop telling me that I should be writing "The illusion" instead of just "illusion of" then I would be happy.
Fortunately, I can just click the dismiss option, then it will shut up. Who has control now?
With the little I know of the recent FTX collapse I would say that it is a prime illusion of control. Personally I have never liked FTX. I use to use the BlockFi wallet I think it was or maybe it was just a portfolio tracker. The point is, they started pushing FTX branding, I also saw a ton of FTX marketing around. This was about a year maybe more ago.
Needless to say when I saw an article title on twitter mentioning this Alameda person, the CEO of FTX being some kind of wizz and blah blah. I did get rid of the BlockFi wallet and I for the most part have always had a disdain for anything FTX.
It could also be that they were in partnership with so many scummy people because no matter where you looked someone spat that brand at you in crypto.
What does that have to do with the illusion of control? Maybe nothing, but people did give them a ton of money, and assumed that a massive payday is just because the so called wizz kid is in control.
Another could be that the system is so complex that surely their has to be someone controlling it. To our benefit, right? Because complex systems are for transparency, right? We do not understand them because we are not in control, right?
The latter one is true. We do not understand many of these systems because we are not supposed to. This is true from the top of Government to the bottom with a Street hustler.
So FTX goes and crashes and because big money follows posh names and marketing, then little money pitter-patters along enjoying fat crumbs; It all leaves you gagging and you wonder how it is that people in 2022 still create celebrities.
Like who controls who? Do the fans get a kick out of the mob being able to lift someone to that status; Or does the celeb in that position now realise they had the power all along?
It is pretty mind boggling, fortunately I do not have a single person I won't throw to the curb and or give an ounce of credit undeserved.
At least I like to think so. People may not be inconsequential, because obviously, they are rather consequential. Which is what irks me the most.
It is a fine line when referring to those who run things, from supposed wonder projects to presidents and governing bodies.
It is a fine line between illusion and delusion.
They both do a waltz together I imagine, anyone I am supposed to look up to or have been told to regard with some form of "respect" is merely setting up their cards for a trick. We know this, and even if by some miracle people are not trying to use their status given, their confidence "earned" or something as simple as kindness to reinforce the illusion of a complex system; Then you best know there is still always a trick.
Anyhow that got a bit away from me, I am sure my point is some.where
In everyday life this illusion of control is more fun, more personable even. It is in the form of power struggles or role play even.
An example might be, if you have worked with clients who need to decide on something but the result means all involved must agree.
Supposedly, all must agree.
For me that is usually in the form of approving artwork or a picture for the house. Sometimes it is clean cut the man obviously does not really give a rats left nut and the woman is more finicky than a vegan shark.
She will lead the charge, making many changes and requesting lots of things. What I will notice though is the glances or pauses for confirmation. Maybe She does not like the photo that much anymore and wants to choose another.
This might be a breaking point, with the first denial of momma's whims. Now this works in reverse also, it hardly matters who play which role.
The main characters are the quiet but in control person and the loud but ultimately not in charge person. They do come to a agreement many times but that is not my problem.
I don't care for the role-playing, I care to get them out of my face. So noticing the confirmation requests I will start deferring questions to the other person, trying to force their hand a lot sooner.
This means I get straight answers because if you are in control, that means you know what you want right.
If I do not get the answers I want, then simply that means they have more going on and with that they are wasting my time.
They may think they have control over me but I don't think that is real and the simplest way to then proceed if neither are truly capable of being decisive; would be to decide for them.
Now, it depends, as all interactions with anthropomorphised sperm do. It depends how much they are irritating me. I am actually very patient with speaking amoebae.
I do however not care for any work they give me to do beyond it should not look ugly to me. As mentioned many times, my work is worthless so it is besides the point mostly. My goal is get rid of them, but in what fashion.
Now since I am supposed to be doing work because I am getting paid for it, then they like to think I will happily chug along and let them have their little tiff over whether Skeletors' picture looks best with a light or dark background.
Sorry, future Skeletor. The funeral is only the next day.
That albeit very tenious is their illusion of control, then whatever role they feel they are, ie. leading and subservient or even just peacekeeper.
Sidenote: this whole post is a sidenote.
Sidenote to the sidenote: The peacekeepers or nice people are the ones you need to trust the least. They will pee in your eye.
Anyhow. So my move tends to be to set ultimatums. It is many times just as simple as using questions from before as statements.
Do you want more this colour, it suits their complexion best?
Just becomes, I am using this because it suits them best.
Or this must be portrait because landscape looks stupid. **truestory
With the worst of the worst, it is simply. I think the place down the road can help you but phrased as "When would you like this? Oh, right now? My bad, I will only print it tomorrow unless we can print it right now. Thank you."
You see the twist in that last part?
Yeah, basically telling them suck these illusionary meatballs.
