not just random

A store clerk, as we were browsing for shoes:

And remember: Buy two pairs and you get 20% off on each pair, for a total of 40% off your purchase!

Time to leave.

Consider this:

Jack is walking slightly ahead of Jill.

Jill: Slow down, Jack. You’re walking too fast.

What is the problem with this?

Well, in actuality, it is fairly likely that both individuals are walking at pretty much the same speed. If they started out walking next to each other and Jack is now slightly ahead, then he accelerated his gait at some point, but that really does not mean at all that he is still speeding up. It is fairly likely that he is not. Jill however, is phrasing her statement in the present tense, clearly making it sounds like her companion is still speeding up. If true, this would of course imply that the distance between the two would increase until she lost sight of him.

This really does make a difference. The manner in which the reality is portayed can be an indicator of how it was perceived. If Jill really does perceive Jack as accelerating (even though he is not), then her picture of reality is not accurate. This might seem like a neglectable error, but even in this simple case options to her are impacted: If Jack is not speeding up, she will be able to catch up easily and continue the walk with him. If he is accelerating, her attempts to walk by his side, will cause much more struggle.

Even simple issues like this deserve to be questioned, when they can reveal flaws in thinking and ultimately perception of the world around us.