Image management

I love the thoughts and the writings of Jill Carattini. She is the managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia. She brings us the somber words and thoughts of a 20th-century journalist who was the icon of his time.

“Malcolm Muggeridge is remembered as one of the most notable figures of the 20th century. The wit and style of the self-dubbed ‘fatally fluent’ journalist made him as endearing as he was controversial. His presence was a decipherable entity in print, over the radio, and on television. With over 50 years in the public eye, Muggeridge knew well the effect of publicity on the human ego. In the words of one biographer, Muggeridge knew well “the strange metamorphosis that turns an individual into an image.” He once confessed, “There is something very terrible in becoming an image… You see yourself on a screen, walking, talking, moving about, posturing, and it is not you. Or is it you, and then you looking at you, someone else? Once, sleeping before a television screen, I woke up to find myself on it. The experience was quite terrifying—like some awful nightmare to which only someone like Edgar Allan Poe or Dostoevsky could do justice.

In our media-saturated, celebrity-producing, me-obsessed culture, the warning may well be appropriate. Though I do not think it is only the televised that find themselves in danger of becoming an image.

Of course, some of the images we may have of ourselves obviously come with the territories. A student embraces the image of student; a new mom learns to see herself as a mom; a journalist sees himself as a journalist. Muggeridge was speaking of images beyond this—namely, a journalist who starts to see himself as an icon, or perhaps a mom who starts to see herself as an image of success, grief, helpfulness, or humility. This is perhaps where many of us can relate.”

You will be amazed at how people today purposefully, intentionally, and decisively create their own “image” using the tools of social media. These images today are also given a new term and it is called “personal branding.” The basic question here is the provoking question that one has to ask: “Is the image I am projecting aligned with the reality of the person I am living?” If it is, then there is no need to project an image is there?

We watch entertainment TV and beauty contests, and somehow we can sense whether the person answering a question is authentic or not. We can even detect a statement that is obviously scripted and we show our disdain for it. This default reaction simply implies that deep within the heart of every person there is an intrinsic desire for truth. This is also the reason why when you catch someone lying you instinctively get upset. Perhaps this is the reason why the Scriptures say that when there is a real and authentic personal relationship with God the heart is transformed and not merely improved.1

I love Jill’s article and writing. It is a somber reminder specially to the youth of today who are so obsessed with image building.

I like the part when she asked a provoking question: Is the image I am projecting aligned with the reality of the person I am living? If it is then there is no need to project an image is there? And when the effort is there to “promote” the brand, then for what purpose is it intended to accomplish?

I also like what one marketing professional said. This marketer said, “A brand is what your customers have decided to give you despite the efforts you try to create it.” When the image projected and reality of the person clashes, then it will only be a matter of time when the truth reveals the duality of the person and destroys trust.

There is a difference between character and reputation, and the image that is projected. A reputation is what others may perceive of the person whether they are right or wrong. Character, as the old proverbial statement goes is what the person is and does even when nobody’s watching.

The best kind of image management is not to manage the image, but to manage the character and then the reputation will take care of itself. And when the match is there, then the effect is long lasting and will be beyond doubt because the most important element is there. That element is called “Truth.”

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1 https://www.rzim.org/read/a-slice-of-infinity/the-images-we-think-we-are