Episode 19 of 21
Perceptual Competence
Training for the inner muscle – observing yourself being manipulated.
This is the training for the "inner muscle." The ability to observe your own perception – while it's happening.
We learn techniques of distancing. The most important: "Meta-watching" – observing yourself as you react to a post.
You see an image. You feel outrage rising. In this moment – PAUSE. Don't suppress the outrage. Observe it. "I'm becoming outraged right now." Don't identify, but note.
These millimeters of distance are crucial. They create space between stimulus and response. In that space lies freedom.
We examine the separation of stimulus and response. The stimulus comes from outside – the image, the text, the video. The response comes from inside – but it's not mandatory. Between them lies a gap where choice is possible.
Perceptual competence means knowing when you're being manipulated. Recognizing the patterns: This is engagement bait. This is an outrage trigger. This is a fear amplifier.
And then: consciously deciding against it. Not reacting. Not sharing. Not commenting. Letting the manipulation run into emptiness.
This is a muscle. It gets stronger through training.