Caras       vemos         corazones        no           sabemos

Faces        we see           hearts            no            we know

“Appearances can be deceiving”

Tony first heard this proverb when he was in elementary school, but it wasn’t until he reached high school that he learned the true meaning behind it.  When he heard it in elementary school, it was told in a context that he couldn’t quite relate to so the meaning of the proverb soon left him.  However, in high school, he came upon a situation that made him realize the truth of the statement.  It occurred during his freshman year from the transition from junior high into high school as he was trying to make a new group of friends.  As he developed friendships and went through freshman year, he realized the meaning of the phrase “appearances can be deceiving.”  While at times his friends seemed to care about him and put on a face of compassion, behind his back, they were completely different people.  Though they appeared to be a certain types of people in front of him, when they thought he wasn’t looking, they were complete opposites.  Appearances truly were deceiving.

This scenario is very common among people of all ages in America and in the rest of the world.  By nature, people are selfish creatures and will act in certain ways to benefit themselves.  Though they may desire something or feel a certain way about an individual, they will often not reveal their true feelings in order to avoid facing conflict or losing face.  It’s difficult therefore to determine how an individual is truly feeling and what he’s thinking.  In many ways, it reflects upon the business culture of America.  People need to be sociable with one another and make conversation in order to establish connections with business partners and make profitable deals.  Therefore, business associates may agree upon ideas on the outside to establish cordial relationships but like the proverb states, the underlying agendas of both parties are very different.

This proverb is very useful, however, for it warns individuals of the true nature of people.  It prepares children for the world while giving them a preview of the people they have yet to meet in the future.  As proverbs go, this one is extremely helpful for it not only contains wisdom about the deceitful nature of humans but also provides warning as to how they may appear.  By giving a general glimpse of what people are like, the proverb succeeds in preparing individuals for dealing with deceitful people.