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Liars gonna lie. That\u2019s what we do. I, having been known to tell a lie from time to time, quite understand the temptation and the reality. What is harder for me to understand is why lying is so effective, why it is that we are so susceptible to believing lies. I believe one reason we are lied to so often is because lying works. What I don\u2019t get is why it works, especially after we have been lied to so often.<\/p>\n
The internet seems to attract liars. I understand, for instance, that sundry north African countries are having a hard time getting anyone to serve as oil minister. These poor guys seem to die every other day. And wouldn\u2019t you think, with all the care they take to leave millions for their wives, that they would have found a way to actually get those millions home without needing my help? <\/p>\n
Direct mail, however, however outdated it might seem to be, hasn\u2019t given up either. Recently I received in the mail an official looking envelope from Motor Vehicle Services. In blaring red letters I was warned that this was my last notice. Were my tags expired? Was I past due for an inspection? The other thing I noticed on the envelope was that it was sent presorted. That is, cheaply. It was direct mail. Turns out Motor Vehicle Services isn\u2019t after all a government agency. It\u2019s a private business offering warranties on cars. <\/p>\n
I remember the same basic trick being played on me by a Christian ministry. This envelope was oversized with snazzy red stripes, and a profile of an eagle. It said EXPRESS DELIVERY, and DATED MATERIAL on the front. It too, however, confessed to being direct mail by the pre-sorted sticker in the corner. It was an appeal for donations.<\/p>\n
As I said, I understand that people lie. But why would that work? Who would trust any promise from any business that started the whole business relationship with a lie? \u201cI know I just tricked you into opening this envelope, but now I want you to trust me on this warranty deal. You\u2019re going to love it.\u201d Who would make a donation to a ministry that introduces themselves to you with a lie? \u201cWe lied to you about this being an overnight package. But we will take good care of any money you send us for this worthy project. Honest we will.\u201d <\/p>\n
The sad truth is not just that we lie, but that we accept lying. We are not put off by it, nor are we driven to a fitting skepticism. We take the view that if a business isn\u2019t lying to us it isn\u2019t really trying. The sad truth is that we have lost the capacity to blush when we lie and lost the capacity to object when we are lied to. We have no shame and we have no dignity. And that friends, is the truth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Liars gonna lie. That\u2019s what we do. I, having been known to tell a lie from time to time, quite understand the temptation and the reality. What is harder for me to understand is why lying is so effective, why … Continue reading