North State Voices: No lie: The truth won't set you free
A torrent of lies fall into my ears and spill out of my mouth every day.
Everyone is lying to me. Advertisers lie to me. Politicians lie to me. Religions lie to me. My family lies to me. I lie to me.
We live in a world where no one can be trusted to tell the truth.
Politicians lie. Political ads disgust me. If you taught a class about lying, the bulk of the coursework would involve political ads and politicians. The month before an election, the political machines pump raw sewage filled with floaties of half-truths, slanders and ad hominem attacks into our homes.
Retailers lie. Think about the word wholesome. Wholesome is another nice term that means ... well, it's kind of a 1950s, Rockwell paintings, family goodness sort of word. There is a fast-food restaurant here in Chico that on its website describes its ingredients as wholesome. Really? Its fries have trans-fats and a medium order will give you 60 percent of your daily saturated fat. Its main sandwich offers half of your sodium for a day.
Salespeople lie. Not to pick on any specific group, but do you believe anything a car salesman tells you? They will tell you anything you want to hear so you will buy the car. As for cell phone salespeople, I need a shower to clean that filth off of me.
People lie about religion. It's just simple logic. If everyone is claiming that their religion is the way, well that makes everyone else a liar. I guess you're lucky you found the right
The idea that honesty was useful went out the window when humankind developed a frontal cortex. That's the part that allows you to lie. Parenthetically, it also lights up when you are problem solving. Does that mean lies can solve your problems? Maybe.
A lie could get you a job and help feed your family. A lie could keep your boss from firing you. A lie could make someone feel better about themselves.
I love lying.
I lie to my children. (Daily, like their Flintstones). I lie when I write this article each month. I lie to my bosses, my wife, my dogs, my friends, my parents, and I try not to neglect my neighbors.
I'm certain I'm not the only one. I think most people lie at least ... oh, let's say 20 times a day. And that is a conservative estimate. So why do we, as a people, pay lip service to honesty? Honesty is not the best policy. The only time it's the best policy is when you're caught in your lies and you may as well give up anyways.
We don't like the truth. It's generally unpleasant and usually makes us feel bad about ourselves.
You are fat because you eat too much and don't exercise. You smoke because you don't have enough self-control to quit a habit that's killing you. There is an island in the Pacific the size of Texas made of our trash. Bigfoot is an alien. Green is actually red.
Lies are the ultimate social lubricant, even more effective than alcohol.
Try to go through the day with no regard for facts. You will be admired, well-thought of, idolized and maybe given the key to the city.
Try to go through your day without lying. You will be fired, beaten, Tasered and alienated by your family and friends.
This decision is simple. Give the truth a rest.
Josh Brechtel is a Chico resident and columnist for North State Voices, which appears each Thursday. He can be reached at joshbrechtel@gmail.com.
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