Perceptive Old Foxes

My father used to take me to some of his business meetings with perceptive old foxes - men who spoke my language but also, in many ways, did not. This began in my late teens, when he instructed me to simply observe. While I did not fully grasp the depth of what I witnessed at the time, I often revisit those experiences, comparing them with my own encounters later in life.

It was always a dance of inference - sensing hidden motives, subtly and steadily seducing the perceived desires of another. They were profoundly self-aware - strategic in crafting how they wished to be perceived at certain moments. I watched their mannerisms - the subtle ways they held their glasses, the timing of their pauses, and the intent in their gaze. Every detail was a clue to a shift in mood - however slight. Their words were precise, deliberately crafted with an almost surgical intention. I came to realise why such men valued privacy so highly - anything they revealed, however innocuous, was a potential vulnerability.

For those who delight in understanding the human psyche, it’s all a game - a multidimensional chessboard of interacting minds. Patterns emerge, as do predictable behaviours. While most people imagine themselves to be "unique" or "unpredictable", a well-trained perceptive observer knows that what they perceive as "unpredictability" is often laughably formulaic.

These individuals are invaluable as allies but must be understood as free agents - selective, nuanced, and always untethered to a degree.

Without fully realising it, I began mapping people mentally, refining my craft through trial and error - adjusting and tweaking my understanding in real time. There were moments of revelation when I saw these men manoeuvre others like pawns - helplessly aware but caught in carefully laid plans. It was then I understood the power of harnessing perception and psychology. It’s both intoxicating and deeply satisfying to engage with the minds of those who operate on such rarefied levels.

However, these individuals only exist within certain echelons. They demand mental agility, depth, and a flexibility that stretches beyond preconceived limits. With them, every perception becomes a framework - a malleable construct waiting to be shaped. They embody siren calls to the weaker version of oneself - tempting and testing one’s resolve.

These individuals are constantly assessing mental capacity and perceptiveness. To play their game, you are forced to transcend your own mental boundaries, resulting in rapid - almost disorienting growth.

After all, business is a game of mental seduction. And it is neither satisfying nor rewarding when the seduction is too easy.