People can get hold of the wrong end of the stick for a variety of reasons. They may misunderstand what is being said. Or they may be so excited by a particular word, in a particular sentence, that they can hear nothing else. Sometimes, wishful thinking gets the better of them. Sometimes, fear or prejudice compromises their ability to be analytical. Sometimes I get the feeling that I just maybe one of those people!

Perhaps that is because illusions delight and excite us. We like to witness them and we like to create them too. That's why we put so much attention into packaging. We think hard about how we present ourselves to others, how we dress, how we speak, how we send out certain signs and signals. As if impressions count. Is it, strictly speaking, true? Perhaps not. But nor is it totally false. The key to success these days seems to involve being a good spin doctor.