Catfeeshing and Deceiving

     The movie, Catfish, raises some questions about the emotional implications of deception. What is it about being deceived about a person online that makes it different from being deceived in real life? At their simplest form, both consist of creating a false image and conveying it as a true form. The only difference is that catfishing does not allow the "victim" to see the true appearance of the "catfisher." The effect of the unexpected deceit is the difference.
     Some of the greatest deceivers in the world are magicians; they are after all the people who can trick entire crowds into believing magic is real. They are lying to us, but we find ourselves entertained by them. What about the instance when a person is lying to your face, but you know the truth? You feel satisfied by the fact that you are able to perceive the lie before the person can even finish his or her excuse. What about finding out who the killer is in a movie way before the big reveal? It feels great knowing the truth before your friends do. It is the fact that one is able to perceive hints and clues about a lie that make the deceit entertaining or satisfying.
     However, when you pour cereal in a bowl and find yourself out of milk there is a different reaction. When you trust someone to pay back your money and he or she doesn't pay back, the result is different. It is because the outcome is different than expected that one feels offended. Humans want to know the truth about everything that goes on around them. It is insulting to pride whenever a deceit successfully manages to raise hopes only to expertly demolish them. It is the unexpected that causes the offense, not the deceit itself.
     Whenever a catfish is so elaborate and carefully planned out, it can be very easy for a person to become bamboozled. Catfishing works on the concept that the deceit is never expected on one end of the relation. The "catfisher" feels satisfied by knowing what is going on behind the stage. He or she knows the workings of the deceit. If a "victim" immediately knew that he or she was being tricked, then there would be no satisfaction for the "catfisher." The longer and more elaborate a deceit can become, the more props the "catfisher" gives him or herself.
     Deceiving people is something that people have been doing for a long time. It's basically the principle that a majority of governments are founded on. Catfishing just works on one of the most intimate levels of this idea. It is often the most embarrassing form of deceit since the privacy of a person is willingly shared without being aware of any malicious intent. While it is morally wrong to deceive a person through catfishing, people always deceive one another every day. Deception is just a part of how the world works.