You’ve seen the ads for various drugs advertised on T.V.  After extolling all of the benefits, the announcer proceeds to list all of the potential negative side effects.  With any medication, a doctor has to evaluate whether or not the potential benefits outweigh the possible side effects before prescribing it for a patient.

We all face decisions throughout life when circumstances change.  Deciding what path to take can pose a dilemma.  Each of the various options has positives and negatives.  How do you determine the best course of action?

There are a number of factors to consider.  Your personality traits play a significant role.  What do you like and dislike?  What’s you affinity for risk?  How much challenge are you happy with?  The answers to these questions affect what path you will be comfortable taking.  For example, someone who is uncomfortable with risk won’t be happy with high risk decisions.

Your perception is your reality.  However, a false reality results when your perception is based on an invalid premise or an artificial model.  The manner in which life is portrayed on TV or in movies is a perfect illustration of this concept.
 
There are those who view these depictions of life to be representative of actual reality.  People look at these Hollywood portrayals and draw invalid parallels to real world counterparts.  Whether it be stories of family life, teenagers, high school, college, lawyers, doctors, law enforcement, or the military, all incorporate many artistic liberties for the sake of entertainment.
 
Even so called reality shows are far from spontaneous and unscripted.  The purpose of these, and all shows, is to attract viewers by providing drama, excitement, surprises, and entertainment.  From the selection of the participants to the scenarios they are faced with, little is left to chance.
 
Advertisements for products and services also contribute to a false sense of reality.  The depiction of how life could or should be is intended to impact your buying decisions.  When someone draws conclusions from the examples portrayed in the media, they set themselves up for disappointment.