These situations involve individuals and companies and failure to reveal the truth could cause harm to others. We know or hear of these types of lies and most people would be quick to condemn them. Why? Because there would be little backlash for calling out the liars. Not even the company that makes dangerous products is a match before the proper court or government agency.
So let's raise the stakes.
What if the truth implicated the very pillars of our society? Actors such as the media, the government or the armed forces communicate to masses of people who rely upon the information they provide.
Despite complaints by members of the public about these institutions, polls show that most people believe the news they get from them. Is it because we believe we are receiving the truth or because of the possibility of backlash if we do not?
History tells us that our government has frequently deceived the public to go to war. The Spanish-American War, the Viet Nam War and the War in Iraq are three examples in which our leaders repeated lies over what started the war and why we were going to fight it. The mainstream media and the military joined the chorus and sold those lies as well.
Facts were brought to the attention of our leaders and the public (like the lack of weapons of mass destruction, for example) but support for the wars continued, anyway.
I go back to my original question: Would you ever believe what you knew was a lie?
If you supported wars such as the recent one in Iraq and you knew the reasons for going were false, then you have done just that.
Why did you do it? Was your job at stake? Were you afraid of your standing among your peers for coming out against something popular? Are you connected to those pillars that lie to us?
You know the answer. If you believe something is more important than the truth, maybe now is the time to explain to yourself what that is.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
