Bluffing has been raised to the levels of a fine art in the modern age. Bluffing may be defined as the creation of a false impression by boasting and even by telling lies. A person who pretends to be what he is not in order to deceive others and gain his own ends, or who boats of his own merits, of the important people known him, or his capacity of getting things done, a capacity which he does not have in reality, may be said to be indulging in bluffing.
Such people throw dust into the yes of others, get things done for themselves, and then do not care as to what they had said or the promise that they had made. Such bluffing has been current coin in every age and country, but this evil is more widespread is the modern age and also it has become more subtle. Successful bluffing now requires a much higher level of intelligence than ever before. It is there in the world of business, in educational institutions and even in the family. Young and old, men, women and children, all indulge in this wicked practice. Today, it has almost become a way of life. All practice it and all become victims of it at one time or the other.
image source: 1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIBnTXPVGKA/VLsv4Uz6zWI/AAAAAAAAAUU/6MqU3sGwYPg/s1600/81E2AcG03VL__SL1300_.jpg
A few examples, chosen at random, would make the point clear. Businessmen make all claims for the goods they manufacture or sell. Once the goods have been sold, the poor customer realizes that he has been the victim of the bluff practiced by the seller. The goods do not really have the qualities which he had been told they had. One goes to purchase a T.V, set; or a refrigerator. The seller praises highly the particular brands of those items he sells. Two years or even three years guarantee is given. Regular and prompt service is assured. Later on when the need arises, it is discovered that the seller has practiced bluffing on a grand scale. The mechanic does not turn up even after repeated reminders. He comes only when full payment of his fee is assured. The guarantee was a mere bluff; the reality is entirely different. There is shortage of small coins. Everybody says that he has no change, while the truth is that the small coins have been hoarded. There may be plenty of small coins in the pocket, but they are not brought out. There is friction and conflict but the bluff continues. All seem to have become past-masters in this art. Social evils are thus encouraged, and life becomes, difficult for all concerned.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Bluffing is even indulged in by members of the same family against each other. Children and boys do not like to go to school. When school-time draws near they bluff their parents. They suddenly begin to the toilet, sit there for a long time, till they are sure that they will not have to go to school that day. Such children bluff their parents, soon it becomes a habit and as they grow up they practice it with greater subtlety and in wider fields. The habit is thus acquired early in life and is then practiced as a fine art.
Not only do children indulge in this vicious habit but grown ups also indulge in it. Housewife’s, when they are not inclined to work, pretend to have severe headache, and the headache persists as long as the work is not done by some other member of the family. Thus is more particularly the cause with daughter-in-law. The mother-in-law works, while the bluffing daughter has a nice time. Similarly, the husbands bluff their wives. The claim that they are over worked in the office and so are late in returning to their homes, while in reality they have a nice time in the company of their chosen friends. The time is passed in playing cards, while she waits for the return of her tired and over-worked husband.
There are people who make promises but do not keep them. They borrow money, promising to return it the next week, but they do not so even the next year. Students borrow books from their friends for a day, but do not return them even after a month. Indeed, such people consider this habit of making false promise a fine art. They do not think about the loss which they cause to others.
In short, bluffing is all-pervasive to-day. It assumes many forms and requires intelligence and subtlety of a high order. It has to be subtle and intelligent proportionately to the subtly and intelligence of its victims. It is a fine art, but it is learnt in the school of life and not in any academy or school meant for the purpose.