Leaders, politicians and academics are dumbfounded as Americans, en masse, adopt a false norm.
President Donald Trump made more than 3,000 untrue or misleading statements in 466 days, according to The Washington Post’s Fact-Checker blog.
Generations of Americans have endured the attack on truth. Haven’t we learned that “Do as I say and not as I do” reverses the intended effect? How can one not be affected witnessing another’s contradictory behavior? Especially when the other is a parent or authority figure.
Children are naive but not fools. They learn to reap rewards via distortion of truth:
• I didn’t lie. I offered a partial truth that most benefits me.
• I didn’t cheat. I took advantage of the opportunity as presented.
• I didn’t steal. I borrowed with the intention of returning.
We model behavior to maximize benefit. We learn to “talk the talk.” Skills required to succeed. This is insidious as it becomes collective conscience by adulthood.
Consider one rite of passage: the job interview. What is required to accomplish a successful job interview? Is an interview an honest assessment of a candidates’ qualifications? Or just a fine-tuned, well-rehearsed, fabricated presentation of exaggerated strength and mitigated weakness? Preferred candidates tend to be “fastest on their feet.” We reward those most flexible with facts. Is it any wonder lying is so rampant?
There is consensus that approximately 100 percent of all lies occur whilst one is speaking.
The truth is in the Gospel of Matthew 5:37: “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” There is no other interpretation, these words do not permit; “Yes or No, But, Please, let me explain. Here come’s [sic] the lie.”
DAVID S. POSKIN
Harrison
