Lies grow noses
This is quite a provocative question and it has been raised by James Stewart. He is the author of the new book “Tangled Web: How False Statements are Undermining America”. His book brings to the surface the epidemic of lies by politicians, athletes, business leaders, government departments, corporations and more. I look forward to reading it. I heard his interview on the radio and his research over the last several years highlights some deeply rooted problems at the heart of many of our institutions.
What is really disturbing is the loyalty factor involved in lying. An example is the Scooter Libbey trial a few years ago that covered up the lies made by many in the Bush administration regarding the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame. We are now uncovering the loyalty factor in the drug cover up by those on the Lance Armstrong cycling team or Barry Bonds, Giant’s player. How about the Madoff cover up by the SEC. How about the Catholic Church cover up of the pedophile priests. Each day we are witness to more discoveries of the cover ups and lies. The government bureaucracy, inflated wages, bribes to building inspectors, pharmaceutical payments to doctors for “unbiased” findings, physicians who only use a certain hip or knee implant because they receive a kick back from the manufacturer. How about the “bribes” to our elected officials for getting union monies during campaigns to receive better union benefits once the official is in office.
What is happening to us?
The acceptance of lies, bribes and cover ups creates an erosion effect. After awhile we expect to be lied to, we become complacent, cynical and defeated. We lower our expectations and create our own reality. The spiral is downward and so is our guard. It becomes a self-fulfilled prophecy. Does your vote count? Is the voting turnout poor? Do we demand the truth from our leaders?
Even more scary, are we lying to ourselves? Do we stay in relationships that really hurt us? Do we keep drinking, eating and working to excess and tell ourselves it is okay? Have we such a high tolerance for disappointment, betrayal, and pain that we stay stuck in moving forward and freeing ourselves? What is happening to us and to our standards? What price are we paying for our unwillingness to call people and institutions on their lies?
“I Did Not Have Sex with that Woman!”
Remember Bill Clinton’s famous line on television. That earnest look through those lying eyes. How about the IMF President just arrested for accosting the cleaning maid in his hotel room, or Arnold for his love child. It goes on and on. We have a parade of characters testifying under oath through their lying teeth. It damages us all when are reduced to an audience that has been marginalized because others have been able “to get away with it”.
Oink
The Worm Has Turned–Exposure and more exposure
The pattern of discovery of cover ups and lies began in earnest in 2009 and will continue through this change in America’s Social Contract. It was put in place November of 2008 and continues to 2024. You can expect more dirty laundry, more exposure, more shock and awe in the lying department. This is not a good time to lie to anyone to get a job or cheat the IRS. We are having a Pluto in Capricorn transit. It is rough, tough and takes no prisoners. People who have been home free for 20 – 30 years are now getting the light of day shone on them for what they are. Liars, cheats and scoundrels. You will read more and more stories of politicians, business leaders, corporations, unions, medical field, and just about every area of the social contract having to come clean and tell the truth.
Middle East, Spain and America
Watch out for the Latest Scam
There has always been a strong historical connection to the Middle East and Spain. It is not surprising to me to see the unrest of the revolutions in Middle Eastern countries spread to Spain where unemployment is 21 % and under age 30 it is 42%. The uncovering of the truth of what has been going on in these governments for many years is out in the open. You can expect eventually this idea of an exposure of how the government is led and who is doing what to whom will spread to the United States. This is a worldwide movement–not just limited to countries in the Middle East.
I do not expect a revolution as they have in these countries but I do expect citizen participation and very possibly strikes or work stoppage as people protest. Jobs are returning but very gradually, mostly in service industry and not at wages to buy property. The economy is improving but……what changes? FCC Commissioner, Meredith Atwell Baker, has just been hired by Comcast following her approval of the Comcast purchase of NBC Universal. Hmmmmmmm is there something smelly here? She can lobby Congress and government agencies while working for Comcast but must wait 2 years to lobby the FCC. So in 2013 she can lobby her old commissioners.
If you are disturbed by these bits of information, I encourage you to get active in a group that is doing something worthy to change this system. If not, keep lying to yourself. Let’s see, maybe if I buy this smaller dress size, I will lose weight.
Hi Gail,
You are speaking to someone who is very concerned about the direction of this country, the USofA, and the general downward slope of the global sociopolitical terrain. What is most disturbing to me, and which you reference in your article, is that there seems to be no accountability of or cost to the perpetrators of the lies and deceit. Or, what consequences that are paid favor the biggest liars and come down hardest on those least equipped to defend themselves. Women, minorities and the socially inept are set adrift to fend for themselves while the Ahnolds and DSKs of the world are still afforded a modicum of social cover because of their power and status. The good news, as I see it, is that the protective cover that used to be afforded the high and mighty is being peeled away through the social networks and the internet that is, so far, free from corporate control and manipulation. That is in question, but so far Net Neutrality still prevails. It is people like you who are willing to unmask the hidden faces of fear and shine a light upon Truth.
Blessings to you,
John
Good article, but I don’t the bad mouthing of unions. I am in a union. We had no choice to affiliate with a large union because of the way the admistration was not following the law. Unions are not all bad.
I have been watching this happening since my Father gave me a precious little book that helped me to understand the anger I felt toward banks, most political figures, drug reps/pharmaceutical companies, some allopathic medicine doctors, insurance companies, oil companies, and FDA to name a few that are destroying our health and the health of the planet. Corporations profit by destroying the environment and our health and profit by cleaning it up. Shame on them. We live in this country and part of the problem. We sit back in fear believing that our government really cares about our welfare…. poor assumption. I encourage everyone to pick up the out of print book called The Report From Iron Mountain on the possibility and desirability of peace written in 1967 by Leonard C. Lewin and first published by MacDonald & Company Ltd. Great Britain.
The truth will set us free and give us a clean slate to recreate a world WORTH living in where all people are created equal. Money and competition are two of the most debilitating powers we have created to divide the innocence of all people, even the rich and powerful lie to themselves. Money makes us more of what we already are… it is not that complicated. We have bought into the drama and deception. A nation of lethargy and thugs programmed through false advertising, tv and news. Even the cartoons program our children to hate, fight and kill one another. Video games and cartoons program our children to be hateful, abusive citizens, murderers, and criminals.What is it truly going to take to awaken the designer sheep? We have bought into a false sense of reality, one that supports 1% of the population and we sit by and watch. You wonder what creates the weather conditions around the planet? All the rage, anger, grief, and ignorance is played out in consciousness somehow some way through a tornado, flood, hurricane, volcano or earthquake. That is power and it is not going to change any time soon. We have to change our ways or Mother Nature will show us just how powerful our thoughts are and she has been patient with us. Patience is running out, we have to stand in our power and stand together..it is our destiny. It is our birthright to tend to our health, live a peaceful life, eat healthy food and support one another. There is enough for everyone. Ask yourself these questions, why do we have the largest prisons on the planet with more prisoners than any other country and why are Americans starving in the supposedly richest nation on earth? And then ask yourself if you are really happy or pretending to be? Are you authentic or pretending to be someone you are not? America was really meant to be the Freedom nation. At what cost is freedom and where can we sign up? It has a false front and we buy into it everyday. Where did America go? One day those with power and money will pay the price as they become the targets for those less fortunate. It will not be a safe place. They will have to fly on their lear jets and live on their private islands to protect themselves. Then and only then will they have an opportunity to develop a relationship with the Mother and her children they have been abusing. Then have a nice day.
I just finished reading the book “Where Did the Towers Go” by Judy Wood phd. 9/11 is the biggest lie of all and it continues on. It is hard to know who to believe anymore. It seems like greed and dishonesty run the government and corporations. I am not even sure our votes count for much anymore, especially with the two party system which in realty a one body two headed beast. How does one begin to change this?!
I can only vow to be as honest and caring in my own life as possible, so as not to add to this terrible energy. Is there any hope for America? It breaks my heart to see our country sink to such lawlessness and dishonesty.
karen V.