Almost every decision by anyone is made through desire or preference but, the worst and most destructive choices are made by desperation, wanting something way too much. We all desire something, a new game, a stunning car, or the perfect person. Wanting something more or less than someone is fine, when desire turns into desperation, you can get manipulated. There is a big difference between working towards your desire and doing anything to complete your desperation.

A great example of desperation leading to manipulation is in the play by Shakespeare, Othello. In this play, Roderigo loves a woman named Desdemona and he is so desperate for her love that he gets easily manipulated by a malicious character, Iago. Roderigo was so desperate for Desdemona, that he would do anything for a chance. Iago takes advantage of Roderigo’s desperation and convinces him to send all of his money to Desdemona, ““I say, put money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moor….” Iago would bring Roderigo’s money to Desdemona but of course, he did not. Rodergo ended up giving all his money away and it went straight to Iago’s pockets without him knowing.

The Dunning-Kruger effect is being “too stupid to know that [you were] too stupid” or thinking you are better than you actually are. Everyone wants to be the best of the best and some people know that they will never be that good, but some people really want to be the best, which they claim to be. In all cases, desperation clouds the real truth. Only after a while those people will realize how small they are compared to the rest of the universe, “They begin to realize just what a small pond they were a fish in.” Every truth and real thought is realistically gone in a mind of desperation, you won’t realize your true skill or how you are being manipulated.

A podcast about a mysterious phone booth out in the Mojave Desert. This story is about a man, Doc, who discovers a phone booth with no road, houses, or anything else. Desperation is a kind of addiction, “What if someone walked by and picked up?” is what he asked every day. Doc became addicted and called the number multiple times, every day until someone finally picked up. That wasn’t enough, Doc needed to find it and when he did he posted this on the internet and it spread wildly. The phone started to pick up calls from all around the world. The booth was right on where a new nation preserve would lay. The phone wouldn’t have been a problem however due to all the calls, and all the people visiting, the booth was destroyed by park officials. Desperation hides the truth and what you want isn’t as good as you think it is.