Beguiled Or...Smiling Faces

I grew up with the daily warning from my parents:

"Everyone that smiles at you is not your friend." And, "Laugh in your face, stab you in the back."

With these two parables and others at my disposal, the sayings instilled in me and my siblings an awareness of individuals and the information they imparted to us.

I was encouraged to wait and see what their actions entail. That brings to mind another saying my parents put forth to us daily..."the proof is in the pudding").

When you combine these seemingly harmless sayings, those were the clues that alerted me to a person's true nature and intentions.

I also came to understand that some individuals possess personalities that spread falsehoods. The aim is to deceive. In these instances, it is the communication outlet that gives voice to deception. For example, errors and omissions, misleading statements or information forms the basis of mass dissension.

Some forms of deception include:

• Lies: making up information or giving information that is the opposite or very different from the truth;

• Equivocations: making an indirect, ambiguous, or contradictory statement;

• Concealments: omitting information that is important or relevant to the given context, or engaging in behavior that helps hide relevant information;

• Exaggerations: overstatement or stretching the truth to a degree;

• Understatements: minimization or downplaying aspects of the truth; and finally,

• Untruths: totally misinterpreting the truth. ¹

However, the most outrageous example of beguiling can be found in advertising.

As far as advertising is concerned, have you noticed in the past decades that, with every commercial, there is a catchy tune included?

Some advertisers include authentic music that society is familiar with. I truly believe that these advertisers assume that the song will sell their product.

In other instances, advertisers in all industries promote their products through the voices of celebrities. These celebrities include actors, athletes, and other individuals society has termed the "rich and famous."

If any consumer purchases a product solely on the basis of a familiar face promoting it for the company, then that individual has been truly beguiled.

On a more personal level and in the financial realm, individuals approach potential investors by claiming outrageous returns on their initial investments. The too-good-to-be true idiom should always come to mind when dealing with people who have the best deal you'll ever find.

Often times, as a potential investor, the promoter will issue a "clock is ticking" or "running out of time" on this fantastic deal.

I have found this to be true also in dealing with digital currency investments. The deadline to get in on the incredible deal sometimes mentally entice people into the "fear of missing out" mindset.

I do admit that I have been swindled by a few of these awesome deals in the past. I learned my lesson.

Often victims are ashamed of being taken advantage of. They refuse to acknowledge the incident to other family members or authorities.

The only real defense against being beguiled is your own research. When that proves insufficient evidence to move forward, then consult reputable individuals.

I remember as a child, insurance salesmen would park their vehicles in our neighborhood. They would then engage in a tactic called "divide and conquer". They would choose a street, separate, then each would walk their particular block, going door to door peddling their company's product to unsuspecting families.

Insurance policies were all the rage in the late 50s and early 60s. If you didn't have one in place, you were not being smart.

Numerous times, I would hear my parents flaunt the fact that they had "taken out a life policy". They were confident that their financial worries were over. If their neighbors and friends did not believe then, they would just stroll over to the desk located in the foyer, pull out the drawer, and show them the medium-sized, yellow pocket envelope with the folded policy inside.

The payment schedule would be printed on the back with the amount of the premium.

The insurance instruments sold to not only my parents, but others as well, we later discovered were merely burial policies worth in the range of $250 - $500 upon death. These sums were the total payout, even after paying monthly for over 25 years.

Twenty five years later, we discovered that expenses for a typical low-cost burial service was well over $10,000.

The insurance policy that the family member was proud to present to the funeral home was literally worthless. Well, not entirely. It would pay for the flower arrangement called the "spray" that lay upon the top of the casket.

As an adult, I worked for one of the insurance companies whose subsidiary sold the policies.

Once day sitting at my desk, I was shocked to read the back story behind the company's then recent settlement of the class-action lawsuit for this fraudulent practice.

I turned back the pages of time. I remembered my parents struggling to feed us while trying to put aside each week the money for the insurance policy.

You see the young "insurance man", dressed in a black suit, whose name was written on the front of the policy envelope, visited our home.

"He possessed such a trusting face," they would say.

He would smile, engage in small talk, comment how well-mannered their children were, and suggest that they were upstanding citizens in how tidy their home was. Upon leaving, he would pat them on the back and ensure them that they were investing in an honorable practice by keeping their policies up-to-date. He assured them that their family would be taken care of in the event of their demise.

Looking back on the young man's actions, that entire episode of our lives during those years reminds me of the lyrics of a 1971 song written by Normal Whitfield.

"Smiling Faces Sometimes"

"Smiling Faces Sometimes" is classified as a soul song. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label, the song was originally recorded by the Temptations in 1971, then re-recorded by the Undisputed Truth the same year.

Producer Norman Whitfield believed wholeheartedly in the song that he took a gamle it would become a hit by both artists. His gamble paid of handsomely. This dual release resulted in a number-three Billboard Hot 100 position for Undisputed. "Smiling Faces Sometimes" was the only Top 40 single released by the Undisputed Truth, and was included on their debut album The Undisputed Truth. ²

I know the work of Norman Whitfield delivering useful and truthful messages in his lyrics. Barret Strong is another musician with the same emphasis in his songs. I always chuckle at the words "your love is such a thrill, but they won't pay my bills...I need money." One of life's true statements.

When it comes to "Smiling Faces Sometimes", the song is a warning: smiling faces often tell lies. People will tell you what you want to hear, then reverse course and do the opposite, either cheating, scamming, or disappointing you. The song offers advice on how to detect these liars: look into their eyes. It's easy to fake a smile, but the eyes have a more difficult time disguising the truth. ³

The above statements strike to the heart of deception.

Individuals may be able to fool others with soothing words and comforting gestures, but if they avoid direct eye contact, it may be one of the signs that an underlying motive may be at play. This usually adheres to the saying "the eyes are the windows to the soul."

The song is on my playlist and in my daily lineup for listening pleasure.

I present below the second rendition of the song by The Undisputed Truth. I wanted to present this group's version first since I feel the lyrics are continuous and dive directly into the gist of song that is at the heart of my story involving my parents and their insurance policies.