Authority: If you do not declare yourself immediately, you arouse expectation.... Mix a little mystery with everything, and the very mystery stirs up veneration. And when you explain, be not too explicit.... In this manner you imitate the Divine way when you cause men to wonder and watch. (Baltasar Gracian, 1601-1658)
Image: The Dance of the Veils the veils envelop the dancer. What they reveal causes excitement. What they conceal heightens interest. The essence of mystery.
If you find yourself trapped, cornered, and on the defensive in some situation, try a simple experiment: Do something that cannot be easily explained or interpreted. Choose a simple action, but carry it out in a way that unsettles your opponent, a way with many possible interpretations, making your intentions obscure. Don't just be unpredictable (although this tactic too can be successful see Law 17); like Hannibal, create a scene that cannot be read. There will seem to be no method to your madness, no rhyme or reason, no single explanation. If you do this right, you will inspire fear and trembling and the sentries will abandon their posts. Call it the "feigned madness of Hamlet" tactic, for Hamlet uses it to great effect in Shakespeare's play, frightening his stepfather Claudius through the mystery of his behavior. The mysterious makes your forces seem larger, your power more terrifying.
days of the week monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday
sunday weekdays weekend
months of the year january february march april may june july august
september october november december
money matters cash debit credit card cheque in advance annual fee
monthly membership interest rate deposit tuition fees poverty bank statement
money management current account student account withdraw lowrisk investment
mortgage grace period budget deficit retail voucher coupon، counterfeit money
public money taxpayers money debt interestfree credit purchase partial refund
annuity nonrefundable mastercard visa distribution costs income finance
department family finances duty free store
subjects science politics history biology architecture law geography
archaeology literature business management agriculture statistics mathematics
logic physics psychology anthropology economics philosophy performing arts visual
arts chemistry humanities
studying at college university course outline group discussion handout
written work report writing research proofreading experiment experience
reference textbook dictionary laptop printer student advisor teamwork module
topic assessment library department computer center classroom lecture tutor
main hall attendance deadline give a talk speech computer laboratory certificate
diploma placement tests overseas students fulltime facilities college dining room
specialist knowledge international accommodation home stay primary secondary
intermediate media room resources room staff commencement dissertation
leaflet faculty pupils pencil feedback tasks outcomes advanced introductory
extra background higher education guidelines postsecondary supervisor bachelors
degree compound vocabulary student support services student retention publication
foreign students schedule school reunion registrar’s office stationery
marketing catalogue interview newsletter competition tv program strategies
research method entertainment industry leadership management display products
customer special offer collecting data questionnaire survey mass media statistic
profit margin poll business card training trainee merchandise manufacture
recruitment
health yoga taichi keepfit salad bar vegetarian outdoor activities leisure time
disease meal protein balanced diet food pyramid vitamin carbohydrates rice
pasta potatoes pizza tomatoes bread cereals minerals zinc meat seafood eggs
beans milk cheese yoghurt fruit vegetables citrus fruits green pepper blackcurrant
nuts egg yolk liver medicine، treatment remedy nursing care nursery regular exercise
nature field footbridge environment waterfall river mountain forest village
coast reef lake valley hill cliff island peninsula earthquake avalanche tornado
typhoon desertification volcano disaster catastrophe erosion landslides storm
flood hurricane pond jungle oasis dam canyon
the environment greenhouse effect acid rain global warming carbon dioxide
burning fossil exhaust fumes deforestation nitrogen oxide smog climate pollution
temperature power plants landfill cattle wind turbine soar power hydroelectric
power renewable source of energy reliable solar panels environmentally friendly
oxygen chemical free desert degradation vegetation sea level ocean currents soil
conditioner coal fossil fuels firewood drought contaminated
the animal kingdom birds of prey seabirds poultry and game mammals
cetacean whale primates’ rodents fish amphibian reptile insect’s octopus phylum
class order family genus species livestock creature lion penguin
plants mushroom fungus leaves seed core bark trunk twig branch flower
stem roots cluster fertilizer
continents south america north america africa asia europe
australia and antarctica
countries egypt mexico france indonesia turkey england germany china
greece brazil india north korea india malaysia new zealand nigeria pakistan
singapore switzerland united kingdom italy the dominican republic the philippines
denmark
languages linguistics bilingual trilingual polyglot portuguese mandarin
bengali chinese hindi russian japanese german punjabi thai persian filipino
french italian greek french
architecture and buildings dome palace fort castle glasshouse pyramid
log cabin lighthouse hut skyscraper sculpture
homes semidetached house duplex terraced house town house row house
bungalow thatched cottage mobile home houseboat block of flats apartment
building condominium chimney bedroom basement landlord tenant rent lease
neighborhood suburb sofa coffee table dormitory story kitchen refrigerator
microwave ground floor oven hallway insurance
in the city cities street lane city center central station car park department
store bridge temple embassy road system hospital garden avenue
workplaces clinic dentist reception appointment staff selection colleague
workshop showroom information desk employer employment unemployed technical
cooperation team leaders stress ability vision confidence employee internship
rating and qualities reasonable satisfactory dangerous safe strongly
recommended poor quality satisfied disappointed efficient luxurious colored
spotted striped expensive cheap
touring tourist guided tour ticket office souvenir trip guest reservation view
culture memorable single double bedded room picnic tourist attraction hostel
suite aquarium
verbs train develop collect supervise mark edit revise exhibit donate
surpass register support hunt persuade concentrate discuss suggest arrange
borrow immigrate review learn touch
adjectives energetic social ancient necessary fantastic exciting fabulous
dull comfortable convenient suitable affordable voluntary، mandatory compulsory
temporary permanent immense vast salty extinct vulnerable pessimistic
optimistic realistic practical knowledgeable flexible confident western intensive
tranquil spectacular intact various
hobbies orienteering caving spelunking archery ice skating scuba diving
snorkeling skateboarding bowls darts golf billiards photography painting pottery
woodcarving gardening stamp collection embroidery climbing chess parachute
sports cricket baseball basketball rugby soccer american football hockey
swimming tennis squash badminton Ping-Pong field court pitch stadium team
the discus the javelin the hammer the high jump horse racing shows jumping polo
cycling gymnasium athlete gym extreme sports paragliding hang-gliding skydiving
abseiling snowboarding bungee jumping surfing windsurfing jet skiing
bodyboarding whitewater rafting kitesurfing mountain biking jogging press up
pushup barbell treadmill judo recreation snooker walking championship
canoeing refreshment
shapes square rectangular triangular polygon oval spherical spiral circular
curved cylindrical
measurement width length altitude imperial system metric system mass
depth breadth height three dimensions frequency
transportations cargo plane shipment container ship boat lifeboat
ferry hovercraft hydrofoil liner canal boat narrowboat dinghy sailing sailboat
paddle steamer cabin cruiser rowing boat rowboat kayak canoe punt gondola
aircraft helicopter seaplane airship hot air balloon airport crew passenger
platform hire a car automobile
vehicles double-decker bus single-decker minibus school bus coach truck
tanker van lorry transporter forklift truck tow truck breakdown truck pickup jeep
caravan camper tractor taxi cab tram underground subway stream train freight
train goods train
weather humid hot sticky breeze chilly cold cool dry dusty freezing hot
warm wet weather forecast antenna moisture
places local library swimming pool cafeteria cottage parliament
accommodation restaurant canteen cafe bookshop sports center city council
dance studio park conversation club kindergarten
equipment and tools helmet light musical instrument cassette silicon chip
digital monitor gadget device screen breaks wheels mechanical pencil disk
backpack
the arts and media opera orchestra concert symphony the press
conductor vocalist audience festival carnival exhibition classical music theatre
cinemas art gallery museum ballet television radio graphics newspaper
materials fur metal steel aluminum copper rubber plastic ceramics glass
cement stone textile cotton fabric wool leather bone paper lumber wood glue
composite fiberglass concrete wax paper wood silver gold feather
works and jobs occupation profession designer decorator architect engineer
manager waitress waiter teacher vacancy professor specialist psychologist،
volunteer freelance secretary craftsman work experience curriculum vitae mail
address receptionist pilot guard flight attendant lecturer office assistant clerk
accountant cashier captain
color blue white orange green grey black red yellow purple brown pink
expressions and time three times three times per week a gap year full
time parttime midday midnight millennium century decade fortnight
other passport photo state government individual variety private sector
practice gender creativity original inhabitant indigenous demonstration strike
entrance circuit guarantee dialogue commerce carriage narrative chocolate
satellite decision prototype attitude daily routine personal fulfillment activity
recipient ultrasound pedestrian safety traffic jams procedures creation prize
junior senior opportunity driving license process literary manmade republicans
umbrella frequently updated waiting list sewer systems liberal democracy
democrats lunar calendar libertarian burger videos nature conservation life
expectancy fundraising event magnet dialect ramification straight farewell welfare
encyclopedia evolution revolution illiteracy robot proficiency sufficient
D.C. Virginia Potomac 1847, Virginia's returned 1847 D.C. Potomac.
here's some incredibly boring information about my life
import Text.Pandoc.PDF (makePDF)
import Text.Pandoc.Scripting (ScriptingEngine (..), CustomComponents(..))
import Text.Pandoc.SelfContained (makeSelfContained)
import Text.Pandoc.Shared (tshow)
import Text.Pandoc.Writers.Shared (lookupMetaString)
import Text.Pandoc.Readers.Markdown (yamlToMeta)
import qualified Text.Pandoc.UTF8 as UTF8
#ifndef _WINDOWS
import System.Posix.IO (stdOutput)
import System.Posix.Terminal (queryTerminal)
#endif
convertWithOpts :: ScriptingEngine -> Opt -> IO ()
convertWithOpts scriptingEngine opts = do
let outputFile = fromMaybe "-" (optOutputFile opts)
datadir <- case optDataDir opts of
Nothing -> do
d <- defaultUserDataDir
exists <- doesDirectoryExist d
return $ if exists
then Just d
else Nothing
mdatadir -> return mdatadir
when (optDumpArgs opts) $
do UTF8.hPutStrLn stdout (T.pack outputFile)
mapM_ (UTF8.hPutStrLn stdout . T.pack)
(fromMaybe ["-"] $ optInputFiles opts)
exitSuccess
#ifdef _WINDOWS
let istty = True
#else
istty <- liftIO $ queryTerminal stdOutput
#endif
res <- runIO $ convertWithOpts' scriptingEngine istty datadir opts
case res of
Left e -> E.throwIO e
Right (output, reports) -> do
case optLogFile opts of
Nothing -> return ()
Just logfile -> BL.writeFile logfile (encodeLogMessages reports)
let isWarning msg = messageVerbosity msg == WARNING
when (optFailIfWarnings opts && any isWarning reports) $
E.throwIO PandocFailOnWarningError
let eol = case optEol opts of
CRLF -> IO.CRLF
LF -> IO.LF
Native -> nativeNewline
case output of
TextOutput t -> writerFn eol outputFile t
BinaryOutput bs -> writeFnBinary outputFile bs
ZipOutput bs
| null (takeExtension outputFile) -> do
-- create directory and unzip
createDirectory outputFile -- will fail if directory exists
let zipopts = [OptRecursive, OptDestination outputFile] ++
[OptVerbose | optVerbosity opts == INFO]
case toArchiveOrFail bs of
Right archive -> extractFilesFromArchive zipopts archive
Left e -> E.throwIO $ PandocShouldNeverHappenError $ T.pack e
| otherwise -> writeFnBinary outputFile bs
convertWithOpts' :: (PandocMonad m, MonadIO m, MonadMask m)
=> ScriptingEngine
-> Bool
-> Maybe FilePath
-> Opt
-> m (PandocOutput, [LogMessage])
convertWithOpts' scriptingEngine istty datadir opts = do
configureCommonState datadir opts
let outputFile = fromMaybe "-" (optOutputFile opts)
let filters = optFilters opts
let sources = case optInputFiles opts of
Just xs | not (optIgnoreArgs opts) -> xs
_ -> ["-"]
let defFlavor fmt = Format.FlavoredFormat fmt mempty
-- assign reader and writer based on options and filenames
flvrd@(Format.FlavoredFormat readerNameBase _extsDiff) <-
case optFrom opts of
Just f -> Format.parseFlavoredFormat f
Nothing -> case Format.formatFromFilePaths sources of
Just f' -> return f'
Nothing | sources == ["-"] -> return $ defFlavor "markdown"
| otherwise -> do
report $ CouldNotDeduceFormat
(map (T.pack . takeExtension) sources) "markdown"
return $ defFlavor "markdown"
let makeSandboxed pureReader =
let files = maybe id (:) (optReferenceDoc opts) .
maybe id (:) (optEpubMetadata opts) .
maybe id (:) (optEpubCoverImage opts) .
maybe id (:) (optCSL opts) .
maybe id (:) (optCitationAbbreviations opts) $
optEpubFonts opts ++
optBibliography opts
in case pureReader of
TextReader r -> TextReader $ \o t -> sandbox files (r o t)
ByteStringReader r
-> ByteStringReader $ \o t -> sandbox files (r o t)
(reader, readerExts) <-
if ".lua" `T.isSuffixOf` readerNameBase
then do
let scriptPath = T.unpack readerNameBase
components <- engineLoadCustom scriptingEngine scriptPath
r <- case customReader components of
Nothing -> throwError $ PandocAppError $
readerNameBase <> " does not contain a custom reader"
Just r -> return r
let extsConf = fromMaybe mempty (customExtensions components)
rexts <- Format.applyExtensionsDiff extsConf flvrd
return (r, rexts)
else if optSandbox opts
then case runPure (getReader flvrd) of
Left e -> throwError e
Right (r, rexts) -> return (makeSandboxed r, rexts)
else getReader flvrd
outputSettings <- optToOutputSettings scriptingEngine opts
let format = outputFormat outputSettings
let writer = outputWriter outputSettings
let writerOptions = outputWriterOptions outputSettings
-- whether we are targeting PDF.
let pdfOutput = isJust $ outputPdfProgram outputSettings
-- whether standalone output should be produced.
let bibOutput = format `elem` ["bibtex", "biblatex", "csljson"]
let standalone = isJust (writerTemplate writerOptions) || bibOutput
--
-- Sanity checks
--
when (pdfOutput && readerNameBase == "latex") $
case optInputFiles opts of
Just (inputFile:_) -> report $ UnusualConversion $ T.pack $
"to convert a .tex file to PDF, you get better results by using pdflatex "
<> "(or lualatex or xelatex) directly, try `pdflatex " <> inputFile
<> "` instead of `pandoc " <> inputFile <> " -o " <> outputFile <> "`."
_ -> return ()
-- We don't want to send output to the terminal if the user
-- does 'pandoc -t docx input.txt'; though we allow them to
-- force this with '-o -'. On posix systems, we detect
-- when stdout is being piped and allow output to stdout
-- in that case, but on Windows we can't.
when ((pdfOutput || not (isTextFormat format)) &&
istty && isNothing ( optOutputFile opts)) $
throwError $ PandocAppError $
"Cannot write " <> (if pdfOutput then "pdf" else format) <>
" output to terminal.\n" <>
"Specify an output file using the -o option, or " <>
"use '-o -' to force output to stdout."
when (readerNameBase == "markdown_github" ||
format == "markdown_github") $
report $ Deprecated "markdown_github" "Use gfm instead."
abbrevs <- readAbbreviations (optAbbreviations opts)
let readerOpts = def{
readerStandalone = standalone
, readerColumns = optColumns opts
, readerTabStop = optTabStop opts
, readerIndentedCodeClasses = optIndentedCodeClasses opts
, readerDefaultImageExtension = optDefaultImageExtension opts
, readerTrackChanges = optTrackChanges opts
, readerAbbreviations = abbrevs
, readerExtensions = readerExts
, readerStripComments = optStripComments opts
}
metadataFromFile <- getMetadataFromFiles readerNameBase readerOpts
(optMetadataFiles opts)
let transforms = (case optShiftHeadingLevelBy opts of
0 -> id
x -> (headerShift x :)) .
(if extensionEnabled Ext_east_asian_line_breaks
readerExts &&
not (extensionEnabled Ext_east_asian_line_breaks
(writerExtensions writerOptions) &&
writerWrapText writerOptions == WrapPreserve)
then (eastAsianLineBreakFilter :)
else id) .
(case optIpynbOutput opts of
_ | readerNameBase /= "ipynb" -> id
IpynbOutputAll -> id
IpynbOutputNone -> (filterIpynbOutput Nothing :)
IpynbOutputBest -> (filterIpynbOutput (Just $
if htmlFormat format
then Format "html"
else
case format of
"latex" -> Format "latex"
"beamer" -> Format "latex"
_ -> Format format) :))
$ []
let isPandocCiteproc (JSONFilter f) = takeBaseName f == "pandoc-citeproc"
isPandocCiteproc _ = False
when (any isPandocCiteproc filters) $
report $ Deprecated "pandoc-citeproc filter"
"Use --citeproc instead."
let cslMetadata =
maybe id (setMeta "csl") (optCSL opts) .
(case optBibliography opts of
[] -> id
xs -> setMeta "bibliography" xs) .
maybe id (setMeta "citation-abbreviations")
(optCitationAbbreviations opts) $ mempty
let filterEnv = Environment readerOpts writerOptions
let inputParams = InputParameters
{ inputReader = reader
, inputReaderName = readerNameBase
, inputReaderOptions = readerOpts
, inputSources = sources
, inputFileScope = optFileScope opts
, inputSpacesPerTab = if optPreserveTabs opts
then Nothing
else Just (optTabStop opts)
}
doc <- readInput inputParams
>>= ( return . adjustMetadata (metadataFromFile <>)
>=> return . adjustMetadata (<> optMetadata opts)
>=> return . adjustMetadata (<> cslMetadata)
>=> applyFilters scriptingEngine filterEnv filters [T.unpack format]
>=> applyTransforms transforms
>=> (if not (optSandbox opts) &&
(isJust (optExtractMedia opts)
|| format == "docx") -- for fallback pngs
then fillMediaBag
else return)
>=> maybe return extractMedia (optExtractMedia opts)
)
when (format == "docx" && not (optSandbox opts)) $ do
createPngFallbacks (writerDpi writerOptions)
output <- case writer of
ByteStringWriter f
| format == "chunkedhtml" -> ZipOutput <$> f writerOptions doc
| otherwise -> BinaryOutput <$> f writerOptions doc
TextWriter f -> case outputPdfProgram outputSettings of
Just pdfProg -> do
res <- makePDF pdfProg (optPdfEngineOpts opts) f
writerOptions doc
case res of
Right pdf -> return $ BinaryOutput pdf
Left err' -> throwError $ PandocPDFError $
TL.toStrict (TE.decodeUtf8With TE.lenientDecode err')
Nothing -> do
let ensureNl t
| standalone = t
| T.null t || T.last t /= '\n' = t <> T.singleton '\n'
| otherwise = t
textOutput <- ensureNl <$> f writerOptions doc
if (optSelfContained opts || optEmbedResources opts) && htmlFormat format
then TextOutput <$> makeSelfContained textOutput
else return $ TextOutput textOutput
reports <- getLog
return (output, reports)
data PandocOutput =
TextOutput Text
| BinaryOutput BL.ByteString
| ZipOutput BL.ByteString
deriving (Show)
-- | Configure the common state
configureCommonState :: PandocMonad m => Maybe FilePath -> Opt -> m ()
configureCommonState datadir opts = do
setUserDataDir datadir
setTrace (optTrace opts)
setVerbosity (optVerbosity opts)
setResourcePath (optResourcePath opts)
setInputFiles (fromMaybe ["-"] (optInputFiles opts))
setOutputFile (optOutputFile opts)
setNoCheckCertificate (optNoCheckCertificate opts)
mapM_ (uncurry setRequestHeader) (optRequestHeaders opts)
case lookupMetaString "lang" (optMetadata opts) of
"" -> setTranslations $ Lang "en" Nothing (Just "US") [] [] []
l -> case parseLang l of
Left _ -> report $ InvalidLang l
Right l' -> setTranslations l'
-- | Retrieves the set of abbreviations to be used by pandoc. These currently
-- only affect the Markdown reader.
readAbbreviations :: PandocMonad m => Maybe FilePath -> m (Set.Set Text)
readAbbreviations mbfilepath =
(case mbfilepath of
Nothing -> readDataFile "abbreviations"
Just f -> readFileStrict f)
>>= fmap (Set.fromList . filter (not . T.null) . T.lines) .
toTextM (fromMaybe mempty mbfilepath)
createPngFallbacks :: (PandocMonad m, MonadIO m) => Int -> m ()
createPngFallbacks dpi = do
-- create fallback pngs for svgs
items <- mediaItems <$> getMediaBag
forM_ items $ \(fp, mt, bs) ->
case T.takeWhile (/=';') mt of
"image/svg+xml" -> do
res <- svgToPng dpi bs
case res of
Right bs' -> do
let fp' = fp <> ".png"
insertMedia fp' (Just "image/png") bs'
Left e -> report $ CouldNotConvertImage (T.pack fp) (tshow e)
_ -> return ()
getMetadataFromFiles :: PandocMonad m
=> Text -> ReaderOptions -> [FilePath] -> m Meta
getMetadataFromFiles readerFormat readerOpts = \case
[] -> return mempty
paths -> mconcat <$> do
-- If format is markdown or commonmark, use the enabled extensions,
-- otherwise treat metadata as pandoc markdown (see #7926, #6832)
let readerOptsMeta =
if readerFormat `elem` ["markdown", "commonmark"]
then readerOpts
else readerOpts{ readerExtensions = pandocExtensions }
forM paths $ \path -> do
raw <- readMetadataFile path
yamlToMeta readerOptsMeta (Just path) raw
htmlFormat :: Text -> Bool
htmlFormat = (`elem` ["html","html4","html5","s5","slidy",
"slideous","dzslides","revealjs"])
isTextFormat :: Text -> Bool
isTextFormat s = s `notElem` ["odt","docx","epub2","epub3","epub","pptx"]
adjustMetadata :: (Meta -> Meta) -> Pandoc -> Pandoc
adjustMetadata f (Pandoc meta bs) = Pandoc (f meta) bs
writeFnBinary :: FilePath -> BL.ByteString -> IO ()
writeFnBinary "-" = BL.putStr
writeFnBinary f = BL.writeFile (UTF8.encodePath f)
writerFn :: IO.Newline -> FilePath -> Text -> IO ()
writerFn eol "-" = UTF8.putStrWith eol
writerFn eol f = UTF8.writeFileWith eol f
By the next day, Hannibal had escaped from the marshland. What was his trick? Had he really conjured up demons? Actually what he had done was order bundles of twigs to be fastened to the horns of the thousands of oxen that traveled with his troops as beasts of burden. The twigs were then lit, giving the impression of the torches of a vast army heading up the mountain. When the flames burned down to the oxen's skin, they stampeded in all directions, bellowing like mad and setting fires all over the mountainside. The key to this device's success was not the torches, the fires, or the noises in themselves, however, but the fact that Hannibal had created a puzzle that captivated the sentries' attention and gradually terrified them. From the mountaintop there was no way to explain this bizarre sight. If the sentries could have explained it they would have stayed at their posts.
As they watched, fires broke out all over the mountain, and a horrible noise drifted up to them from below, like the blowing of a million horns. Demons, they thought. The sentries, the bravest and most sensible in the Roman army, fled their posts in a panic.
The sentries argued heatedly about what this could mean: Reinforcements from the sea? Troops that had been hidden in the area? Ghosts? No explanation made sense.
Under his leadership Carthage's army, though smaller than those of the Romans, had constantly outmaneuvered them. On one occasion, though, Hannibal's scouts made a horrible blunder, leading his troops into a marshy terrain with the sea at their back. The Roman army blocked the mountain passes that led inland, and its general, Fabius, was ecstatic at last he had Hannibal trapped. Posting his best sentries on the passes, he worked on a plan to destroy Hannibal's forces. But in the middle of the night, the sentries looked down to see a mysterious sight: A huge procession of lights was heading up the mountain. Thousands and thousands of lights. If this was Hannibal's army, it had suddenly grown a hundredfold.
During the Second Punic War (219-202 B.C.), the great Carthaginian general Hannibal was wreaking havoc in his march on Rome. Hannibal was known for his cleverness and duplicity.
If your social position prevents you from completely wrapping your actions in mystery, you must at least learn to make yourself less obvious. Every now and then, act in a way that does not mesh with other people's perception of you. This way you keep those around you on the defensive, eliciting the kind of attention that makes you powerful. Done right, the creation of enigma can also draw the kind of attention that strikes terror into your enemy.
Mysterious people put others in a kind of inferior position that of trying to figure them out. To degrees that they can control, they also elicit the fear surrounding anything uncertain or unknown. All great leaders know that an aura of mystery draws attention to them and creates an intimidating presence. Mao Tse-tung, for example, cleverly cultivated an enigmatic image; he had no worries about seeming inconsistent or contradicting himself the very contradictoriness of his actions and words meant that he always had the upper hand. No one, not even his own wife, ever felt they understood him, and he therefore seemed larger than life. This also meant that the public paid constant attention to him, ever anxious to witness his next move.
An air of mystery can make the mediocre appear intelligent and profound. It made Mata Hari, a woman of average appearance and intelligence, seem like a goddess, and her dancing divinely inspired. An air of mystery about an artist makes his or her artwork immediately more intriguing, a trick Marcel Duchamp played to great effect. It is all very easy to do say little about your work, tease and titillate with alluring, even contradictory comments, then stand back and let others try to make sense of it all.
All this attention allowed Lustig to lure suckers in with ease. They would beg for his confidence and his company. Everyone wanted to be seen with this mysterious aristocrat. And in the presence of this distracting enigma, they wouldn't even notice that they were being robbed blind.
Sociological Perspective of the Self
Sociology
study of the role of society in shaping behavior.
The sociological perspective of the self looks into self as a social construction, which means that who you are as a person all through your lifetime is developed under the influence of people, meaning, the self is shaped through interaction with other people in a society. Through socialization, we develop our personalities and potentialities with the influence of our culture and society.
Socialization takes place through the interaction with various agents of socialization, like peer groups and families, plus both formal and informal social institutions, like schools and clubs.
While we were born with a genetic makeup and biological traits, who we are as human beings, however, develops through social interaction. Sociology is the study of the role of society in shaping behavior. It focuses on how different aspects of society contribute to an individual’s relationship with his world. It tends to look outward (social institutions, cultural norms, interactions with others) to understand human behavior. This part of the module will be focused on the self as perceived by sociologists. We will look into the role of society in how we were shaped as to who we are today.
The Self as a Social Construction
Now let us start to explore the “self” as a social construction. Social construction means that individuals develop a sense of self-based on how they think other people see and judge them. They see themselves and construct a sense of identity, by interpreting what they think they see reflected about themselves in others' opinions and reactions. They incorporate these ideas into their sense of self. The classical sociological perspective of the self holds that the self is a relatively stable set of perceptions of who we are or our identity in relation to ourselves, others, and the social world. Our self is socially constructed in the sense that it is shaped through our interaction with other people. The sociological theories of the self try to explain how social processes such as socialization influence the development of the self.
Socialization is the process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it. In other words, it is the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group and behave in a way that is approved by the group. Through socialization, we develop our personalities and potentialities with the influence of our culture and society. As with socialization in general, we are not passive participants in this process but rather, have a powerful influence over how this process develops and its circumstances. The person can also be an agent of socialization. The self is constructed based on social roles through socialization agents (family, school, community, etc.). How people understand their sense of selves is closely tied to how they understand the world around them or their relationship with others.
The Self and the Social Agencies
Our development is largely influenced by the membership to crucial social groups that shape various aspects of our self; from our beliefs system, values orientation, and manifest behavior. Indeed, we are born into a family and toward the end of our lives, we evaluate our self in the context of our contribution to society, the quality of our social relationships, and how we have helped touch the lives of people we have directly encountered.
At the beginning of life, we are surrounded by our family. It is the most pervading, influential social that group that impacts ourselves in the entire course of development. The conceptions we hold about our world, the values we uphold in making choices and decisions, and our habits and persistent behavior have been formed in the context of our respective families.
Next to family, schools form a significant part of our social self. Our world perspectives go bigger as we get exposed to more people and a formal set of standards; but this time, we are expected to meet certain criteria of achievement and oftentimes, in collaborative learning conditions. We harness the knowledge that we get from our mentors and apply the socialization skills we got from our families in developing relationships with our school peers. The information we glean from books, lectures of our mentors, insights from our classmates is assimilated and imbibed consequently in the inner recesses of our self.
Aside from one’s family and school, our communities also shape our social self to a large extent. From an anthropological and sociological perspective, our cultural beliefs and practices are influenced by what our communities and societies dictate. Values such as faith in God, respect for the elderly, task persistence & dedication, and love for our country are often the products of communal settings we belong to and societal expectations imposed on us.
Mead and the Social Self
George Herbert Mead: The"I" Self and "Me" Self Theory
George Herbert Mead is an American Sociologist, and he is considered as the Father of American pragmatism, and one of the pioneers in the field of social psychology because of his contributions to the development of the person relating to various social factors. Mead is a well-known sociologist for his theory of the social self. It is based on the perspective that the self emerges from social interactions, such as observing and interacting with others, responding to others’ opinions about oneself, and internalizing them together with one’s feelings about oneself. For Mead, our self is not there at birth, but it is developed over time from social experiences and activities.
The social aspect of self is an important distinction because other sociologists and psychologists of Mead's time felt that the self was based on biological factors and inherited traits. According to Mead, the self is not there from birth, but it is developed over time from social experiences and activities.
Two Sides of the Self: The “I” and the “Me” Self
According to his theory, the self has two sides or phases: 'me' and 'I.' The 'me' is considered the socialized aspect of the individual. The 'me' represents learned behaviors, attitudes, and expectations of others and of society. This is sometimes referred to as the generalized other. The 'me' is considered a phase of the self that is in the past. The 'me' has been developed by the knowledge of society and social interactions that the individual has gained.
The 'I', can be considered the present and future phase of the self. The 'I' represents the individual's identity based on response to the 'me.' The 'I' says, 'Okay. Society says I should behave and socially interact one way, and I think I should act the same (or perhaps different),' and that notion becomes self.
The 'me' and the 'I' have a didactic relationship, like a system of checks and balances. The 'me' exercises societal control over one's self. The 'me' is what prevents someone from breaking the rules or boundaries of societal expectations. The 'I' allows the individual to still express creativity and individualism and understand when to possibly bend and stretch the rules that govern social interactions
Therefore,
The “Me” are the characteristics, behavior, and or actions done by a person that follows the “generalized others” that person interacts with. The “Me” is the attitudes, and behavior of the person with reference to their social environment
The “I” is the reaction of the individual to the attitude of others, as well as the manifestation of the individuality of the person. The “I” is one’s response to the established attitude and behavior that a person assumes in reference to their social interactions.
Caring for your Social Self
"Our selves are not created in isolation; we are not born with perceptions of ourselves as shy, interested in jazz, or charitable to others. Rather, these beliefs are determined by our observations of and interactions with others".
With the idea of Mead with regards to the establishment of the sense of self, socialization is a lifetime endeavor, and the people one interacts with will change throughout a person’s life. As such, considering the social environment one belongs to, along with the changes in the person’s development be it at school, home, or work, as well as the interactions, and experiences the person acquires from those people and situations, it helps define a more concrete identity and sense of self.
Cooley and the Looking Glass Self Theory
Cooley and the Looking-Glass Self Theory
Charles Horton Cooley and Looking Glass Self
When it comes to understanding ourselves, social interaction plays a more important role than many of us realize. According to sociologist Charles Horton Cooley, individuals develop their concept of self by observing how they are perceived by others, a concept Cooley coined as the “looking-glass self.” This process, particularly when applied to the digital age, raises questions about the nature of identity, socialization, and the changing landscape of self. The looking-glass self describes the process wherein individuals base their sense of self on how they believe others view them. Using social interaction as a type of “mirror,” people use the judgments they receive from others to measure their own worth, values, and behavior.
Cooley’s theory is notable because it suggests that self-concept is built not in solitude, but rather within social settings. In this way, society and individuals are not separate, but rather two complementary aspects of the same phenomenon. As one of the pioneer contributors to sociological perspectives, he asserted that people’s self-understanding is constructed, in part, by their perception of how others view them—a process termed “the looking glass self.” For Cooley, we gradually figure out who we are as we grow up. You figure out what you look like by looking in a mirror. However, you figure out who you are through social interactions.
The people you interact with become your “mirrors.” You see what they think of you when you interact with them, and it changes the way you think of yourself. According to Society in Focus, the process of discovering the looking-glass self occurs in three steps:
An individual in a social situation imagines how they appear to others.
That individual imagines others’ judgment of that appearance.
The individual develops feelings about and responds to those perceived judgments.
The process of the looking-glass self is further complicated by the context of each interaction and the nature of the people involved. Not all feedback carries the same weight, for instance. People may take the responses from those whom they trust more seriously than those of strangers. Signals may be misinterpreted. People also usually take their own value systems into consideration when thinking through any changes to their behavior or views of self.
Ultimately, the process of the looking-glass self is one of alignment. People constantly seek to create consistency between their internal and external worlds and, therefore, continue to perceive, adjust, and strive for equilibrium throughout their lives.
Summary
In summary, the looking-glass self describes the process wherein individuals base their sense of self on how they believe others view them.
Using social interaction as a type of “mirror,” people use the judgments they receive from others to measure their own worth, values, and behavior.
Cooley’s theory is notable because it suggests that self-concept is built not in solitude, but rather within social settings. In this way, society and individuals are not separate, but rather two complementary aspects of the same phenomenon.
The process of the looking-glass self is further complicated by the context of each interaction and the nature of the people involved.
Not all feedback carries the same weight, for instance. People may take the responses from those whom they trust more seriously than those of strangers.
Signals may be misinterpreted. People also usually take their own value systems into consideration when thinking through any changes to their behavior or views of self. Ultimately, the process of the looking-glass self is one of alignment.
People constantly seek to create consistency between their internal and external worlds and, therefore, continue to perceive, adjust, and strive for equilibrium throughout their lives.
The Self Embedded in Culture
The Self Embedded in Culture
Culture influences what will affect you emotionally, as well as how you express yourself, such as showing your feelings in public or keeping it private. Anthropologists believe that culture is the full range of learned behavior patterns, as
Sir Edward B. Taylor,
founder of cultural anthropology, defined. Culture as 'a complex whole that includes knowledge, beliefs, morals, law, customs, arts, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by a human as a member of society. Likewise, characteristics of culture include culture is shared, symbolic, natural, learned, integrated, encompassing and maladaptive, and adaptive
Culture is everything that makes up the way a group of people lives. It includes their beliefs, values, and traditions. The experiences we go through in life are facilitated by the culture we live in because culture provides the environment which allows all these experiences to take place.
There are two components of culture that are essential in understanding how the self is being influenced by it:
Material culture consists of human technology - all the things that people make and use. These are the physical manifestations of culture. The goods and products we buy and the products we use are also included here.
Non-material culture includes intangible human creations like beliefs, values, norms, morals, rules, language, and organizations. This also helps shape our perspective of the society of ourselves, and even of the material world.
Culture helps us define how we see ourselves and how we relate to others. Remember that we differ in many ways: language diversity, cultural diversity, gender diversity, religious diversity, and economic diversity. All these aspects of diversity work together to form our sense of self. Always remember that it is important for you to respect others' cultures and acknowledge and understand that individuals may not develop a sense of self in the same manner. A family’s cultural values shape the development of the child’s self-concept.
Culture shapes how we each see ourselves and others. For instance, some cultures prefer children to be quiet and respectful when around adults. This does not mean that a quiet child lacks self-confidence. Young children learn from stories told to them that often emphasize a family’s values and affect how a child develops his self-concept. Every family influences a child’s self-concept within their cultural context. Young children may describe themselves based on their family’s values, beliefs, and morals
Now, take a moment to reflect on the influence your culture has had on your sense of self. To find yourself and truly know who you are, knowing your roots is just the foundation. Remember, culture influences us in more ways than we may know. So, take a moment and reflect on who you are, where you come from, and what you believe in. Self-reflection is the first step of self-discovery.
Both artists and con artists understand the vital link between being mysterious and attracting interest. Count Victor Lustig, the aristocrat of swindlers, played the game to perfection. He was always doing things that were different, or seemed to make no sense. He would show up at the best hotels in a limo driven by a Japanese chauffeur; no one had ever seen a Japanese chauffeur before, so this seemed exotic and strange. Lustig would dress in the most expensive clothing, but always with something a medal, a flower, an armband out of place, at least in conventional terms. This was seen not as tasteless but as odd and intriguing. In hotels he would be seen receiving telegrams at all hours, one after the other, brought to him by his Japanese chauffeur telegrams he would tear up with utter nonchalance. (In fact they were fakes, completely blank.) He would sit alone in the dining room, reading a large and impressive-looking book, smiling at people yet remaining aloof. Within a few days, of course, the entire hotel would be abuzz with interest in this strange man.
3,624,807 22,117 (13,743 mi) 2022 1.451 1,451,689,993.
Do not imagine that to create an air of mystery you have to be grand and awe-inspiring. Mystery that is woven into your day-to-day demeanor, and is subtle, has that much more power to fascinate and attract attention. Remember: Most people are upfront, can be read like an open book, take little care to control their words or image, and are hopelessly predictable. By simply holding back, keeping silent, occasionally uttering ambiguous phrases, deliberately appearing inconsistent, and acting odd in the subtlest of ways, you will emanate an aura of mystery. The people around you will then magnify that aura by constantly trying to interpret you.
