Lately I've been reading a lot about white collar criminals for research purposes. And by "research purposes," I mean I'm researching identity theft issues, etc. for a novel idea that's working its way out of my head and onto the page.
But there's an extremely interesting trend to all of my reading so far: all of the people I've read about who have successfully posed as something they aren't had one thing in common--they all acted the part.
I've grown up in a culture that encourages the idea of faking it until you make it, even though I'm pretty sure this isn't what they mean. But it's still intriguing to think that if you enter the right environment and simply act as though you belong there, there's every chance the people will accept you for what you say you are.
This whole concept would work better, it seems to me, if you have a certain amount charisma: but not necessarily, from what I'm reading. Sometimes you have to affect an air of snobbery and superiority to be accepted by the snobs. And certain sets of people seems perfectly willing to believe you if you look a part and if you act a part even when you aren't the part.
Anyway. I'm fascinated by this because it assumes a certain amount of trust I would presume isn't inherent in most cultures. But maybe we want to trust people after all. Maybe we want them to be what we see.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Bavarian Fire Drill! - http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BavarianFireDrill
I don't know how I'd never been to that website before, but it's now officially one of my new favorite places! Thanks, Katya. :)
And I knew it happened in tv/literature/film, but it was (initially, at least) surprising to read about people who successfully pulled it off in real life.
Post a Comment