The Devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape.

This phrase comes from Hamlet, when he's thinking about ways to trap his uncle for the murder of his father. It's always struck a chord with me.

It constantly amazes me how so many human beings get taken in by flattery, good looks, and surface appearances of things. So many millions of people allow themselves to be manipulated with easy pleasantries, and will bend over backwards for someone who seems to treat them respectfully or nicely, not even bothering to consider that there may be an agenda that has no regard for them whatsoever. I can't help thinking that's why so many con men get away with it all the time: people are stupid, and associate image with reality. Psychopaths know this so well, too: many murders happen because the victim can't believe that someone so nice can be so bad.

I sometimes think that many people would prefer to be charmed out of their savings by a handsome rogue than robbed for a few pence by an ugly brigand. Isn't it odd?

For example, look at the number of people who become wildly offended by displays of arrogance and narcissism in others. What's that about? Are they that short sighted to think that a person who isn't arrogant or narcissistic is somehow good? That they have a magic, benevolent agenda to all, just because they seem nice? How many people have grown rich and powerful by playing this game of contempt that's masked with pleasantry and prettiness?

Yet we generally accept that good looking people will succeed in life with greater ease than their uglier breathren.

Funny that, innit?