Your Image is Not Your Character

Sometimes we assume that the image and character go hand in hand. But it is not true. There is yawning difference between the both. One person can have one character at one point of time but he could have multiple images among public at the same point of time. He is the same guy, but someone likes him and someone dislikes him at the same point of time. It depends upon the effect of his image on the particular person or group. Anyone can create different kinds of images in the society, but certainly it is not his character. Your image depends upon your self-presentation and projection skills. You can tell a lie about you and project and present yourself in a different way, which are not you. You can succeed in drawing an immediate attention by the image you have created. But character remains the same. Your image can be changed by others, but not your character. You are a good guy, but a third person tells something bad to someone about you, your image in the eye of that person would be bad, if say good, image would be good. It fluctuates.

Until and unless a person is not apprehended, he is not a thief or criminal. His image is clean, but not his character. He knows that his character is not clean, but he will work on his image to draw the attention of the people. These kinds of qualities, we can observe, at the extended level in our political leaders and actors. They pay more attention to create their image than their character.  Suppose a thief or a criminal has changed his character and gave up all his bad habits, even though his image would be of a thief or a criminal in public. He knows that his character is clean; even though he needs to suffer with his bad image. You can create your image by doing some sham, but the same is not true in your character building. If you belong to a famous family, then your image would be different, but these stands are also not going to help in your character building.

Image is external and character is internal. Image is what people think about you, and character what you really are. By good image, you can get external support, which is temporary. By good character, you get internal support, which is eternal. Character is divine and image is artificial. Good image with bad character is pernicious. And a good character with bad image does not make much disturbance. No one certify your character except you. People can certify your image. Any institution gives you an image-certificate, but out of delusion, they call it character-certificate.  Character is yours and image is of others. You cannot show your ownership which belongs to others, any time they can snatch it from you. Character belongs to you, and you are solely responsible to make a good or bad character, and good part of this is that no one can snatch it from you. If you have developed good character, you will enjoy it and with bad character, you have to suffer it, no one can share it. It is truly said--- if your wealth is lost, nothing is lost. If your health lost, something is lost, and if your character lost, everything is lost.