How often have we heard the phrase "looks can be deceiving"? While I'm pretty sure there will be no one who will disagree with this statement, however, we can still be deceived by looks and by what we see on the outside, right? Common knowledge may be, but being common does not guarantee one is safe from being fooled.
Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash
Scammed!
There was a time when I made hasty judgments from what my eyes can see. My friend messaged me that he discovered a game that he is sure I will enjoy. Aside from its interesting gameplay, a "Farmville-like" application, I will also earn a few bucks on the side. "An interesting app!" I told him. I dug in, downloaded the application, and spent a few hundred as an initial investment.
Yes, there is money involved. I know the drill. If you want to earn, shell out a few bucks. There's no such thing as free lunch. Besides, "I could spare a few hundred," I convinced myself.
To be fair, I earned twice or thrice just from playing the game. Though I love farm management games, if not for the application's earning potential, I say the game is boring. But that's OK, what matters is I earn. My goal is to ROI as early as possible.
A few weeks after, I could no longer access the application! I scurried to several websites to confirm my hunch. The developers are now withdrawing from the project. I was not able to regain my full investment!
It did not devastate me. As I've mentioned, at that time I can afford to lose that little investment. However, what I cannot accept is the fact that I easily fall prey to things that are usual and obvious scams and potential rug pulls. I easily get deceived when I see bright colors, fake reviews, and seemingly genuine invitations when all my senses are shouting at me - "Beware!"
Disregarding red flags
Not only in terms of investments and income-generating hustles but also in terms of relationships. Not a few times do I disregard red flags just because I have this intense hope for people to change and learn to adjust. I remember when I was still young to handle relationships, I allow people to humiliate me and wound my ego so I can prove to them that I can handle the worst of emotions. I thought by taking all the pain and making all the necessary adjustments, I am doing people a favor. But little did I know that I am not just hurting myself in the process. I am making myself too vulnerable for others to hurt me too!
Well, looks can be deceiving. It is a lesson that people should learn the earlier the better. Not all that glitters are gold. Not all pretty faces have pretty attitudes. Sometimes, it is the opposite. There is more to life than what the eyes can see. And unless we learn how to look beyond the surface, we will find ourselves falling into the same trap over and over.