A Word on Our Societal Erosion of Truth
When did it begin, this kinda, sorta, maybe way of thinking that makes right and wrong nothing more than intellectual exercises?
When did we become a nation of slick marketing geniuses at the expense of truth, which is the foundation of capitalism? When did a handshake become a chuckle up the sleeve because some dope believed you would do what you said?
Watching the truly pathetic parade of mealy-mouthed liars at the center of our political and economic stages is crazy making. Watching the American people leap like sheep over the edge of relativism is heartbreaking.
We used to revile snake oil salesmen! Now we examine our perceived wounds, ponder his salve, and decide that his quick fix is better than a longer process of natural, more reliable, healing.
I cannot wrap my mind around the reality—and it is that—that truth has become a throw-away commodity in our world. Negotiating deals based on promises of power or advantage trumps alliances based on values and truth and performance.
What good can we expect to come of this?
I remember as a kid being drilled about the importance of truth. Telling a lie was about the worst thing you could do because it besmirched yourself and everyone else who had a relationship with you. When you lied as a kid, the credibility and goodness of your parents was called into question. So, too, was the validity of the school you attended, the teachers who instructed you, and any other authority figures who vouched for you.
If you told a lie, you broke trust. There was nothing more dishonorable you could do.
How alien the notions of those days.
Today, if you can’t command media attention, you don’t matter. Outrageous acts are celebrated. Deviance is the new social order.
What is the end game, I wonder? Where are we going with fast talk, high fives, and unholy alliances?
When truth becomes a subjective matter, we are in serious trouble.
Houston, we have a problem.
Categories: General AdviceAbout Susan Marshall
