Webster describes the word perception as the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the environment. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs. This is a book that explores the deceptive nature of perception, its manipulation, especially by individuals in search of an ultimate result. Those include politicians, news pundits, commentators, poll takers and advertisers. Manipulation of perception is also conducted by churches and political groups with an agenda such as Al Qaida, whether or not those groups are perceived to be terrorists. The book also explores the perceptive schemes present in our daily life and how they affect our decisions. How was the underwear bomber able to go through checkpoints in several countries and still be able to board a United States airplane with explosives in his underwear? How does a small group of individuals influence the public's perception of a health care program? Is the way we profile individuals a reaction to our perception of those individuals? Is racism a reaction to our perception of other races? Is it possible to control our perception and consequently our reactions? The stories in the book are anecdotal and are not offered to prove their truthfulness but to illustrate specific schemes. The individuals mentioned in the book are collectively referred to as preceptors. They are public figures whose perception of life or of other individuals, and the way they inject their ideas and ideologies upon society, often affects the decision making of those around them.
