Truth and Lies with Consequences

Is Chaos an Ingredient in Truth or Lies?

With the entire world communicating in a cyber world, chaos reigns supreme. Must it? Today's communicators form two distinctive segments of society:

. Those who insist upon truth

. Those who can't

The reality of truth today is that there are professional communicators albeit without much in the way of credentials, license or certification who can take a simply states Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and make it "fit" their version of truth.

Although, he didn't realize the line he spoke from the script of the movie, "Cool Luke" would become memorialized, the actor Struther Martin's "What we have here is failure to communicate," would describe the state of today's communication.

We don't always communicate articulately. We communicate personal opinions that do not always have basis in fact or truth.

We see this all the time. Often, these contortions are intended to confuse and add to communication chaos in such a way that point and purpose of truth is totally obliterated.

For example, the preamble to the U.S. Constitution states:

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Some prefer their own version or at the very least, their own intepretation:

"We the People of the Republic of the United States, in Order to design our perfect Union, create our Justice, insure only our states Tranquility, provide for the only our states common defence, promote no Welfare, and control the Blessings of Liberty to only for ourselves and our Posterity, ordain and enforce this Constitution for the Republic of the United States of America."

What really is the truth of what the authors of the Preamble intended? Objectively, their goal was unity under the law.

Common sense prevailed when the Founding Fathers realized the potential for creating democracy which made the United States of America a world class icon for freedom and justice.

How do we know? All of the Founding Fathers left a country behind they felt was denying them their freedoms. Most, according to our history books, were from England and were Protestants.All wanted the human right to choose their own religion and not have it enforced into laws of any kind.

So they set about to formulate a government with these famous words, "We the People of the United States." That word "people" was not intended to mean "corporations." as it does today. But, you can see how the reinterpretation of what "people" means now has disastrous consequences.

Like a ringworm in a human body, the single attack of allowing a business to be considered "people" has totally destroyed voting rights. How is a corporation comprised of employees with the right to choose their candidates "people" under a corporate name? Are they getting in on the corporate bonuses? Or are they the ones making profits for a corporation that includes them in the word "people" when the CEO gets two votes to their one. One for him as a individual and one for his corporation.

Many Lies from Many Truths

Within society, there is bizarre ability to transpose, contort and twist truth until it fairly screams for mercy. Mature minds recognize this syndrome as a childish need to avoid reality. Coupled with a need to turn a less than palatable world into one of pink clouds and cotton candy.

Until a major disaster steps in and tests the mettle of honesty, reality, facts and truths. Can we really lie about a deadly epidemic? Sure. It can be made to look less fatal with a glob of Happy Talk and lots of intentional misinformation.

Psychologists tell us that there are two major kinds of lies: Outright verbal changes to truth and lies by omission. Kind of like seeing a thief steal your friend's car and refusing to admit you are witness. "Know nothing" lies have consequences in U.S. courts of law.

If you observe a child being physically abused and do nothing and you are found out, you can go to jail for contributing to the crime under Domestic Violence laws. An omission of being a witness to a crime makes you part of the crime.

One of the most difficult lies of omission are those related to incest and pedophilia. Even when the victim comes forward and reports it, inevitably a too financially dependent spouse will refuse to admit they knew or saw the crime being committed. No crime? No time. No consequences.

Oddly, the responsible party turns the victim's truth into lies and the victim becomes the guilty party and the predator the victim.

Responsibility, Thy Name is Muddled

The easiest way to avoid accusations when guilty of wrongdoing is to go into a delusional mode. This makes it difficult for the guilty parties to be brought to justice under the laws. It smacks of gross mental immaturity, emotional insecurity and irresponsibility for one's actions.

By muddling the precise intent of the word responsibility, no one is held accountable for their actions. Justice cannot be processed and the realm of accountability stretches to the breaking point.

Honor Where Art Thou?

Honor is a word that has become so meaningless in the face of avaricious greed and lies. Where is the honor in irresponsibility? Where is the honor is lying?

When honor means nothing, so do truth and facts. It is easy to see why so many individuals with no inbred sense of honor feel no real accountability for their lies.

The definition of the word "honor" bears deeper examination: "Adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct." High respect; great esteem.

It may be said that those we know possess "honor" are people we have no problem respecting for any reason. In this case, honor is given without reservation in the face of great esteem.

Those who possess no sense of "honor" are those we know we cannot trust. Their words and actions are, at best, shaky and unreliable.

In order to honor, trust comes first. It is not humanly possible to show honor to someone who has proven undeserving of our trust based on the facts we know about them.

The Consequences We Face from Truth and Lies

On both sides of the issue, there are consequences. Today's society has turned truth and lies into a for profit industry. Tell the truth and you get sued into bankruptcy. Lie and you get another promotion or flush of profit.

How juxtaposed is a world where there is more financial reward for lying than for being truthful and honest?

The answers will not come from today's adults who indulge themselves in a lifetime of lies, lack of responsibility and accountability and esteem low enough to justify lack of integrity toward truth.

The consequences will only appear with future generations bred on truths so badly distorted and lies that become the "new normal."

Perhaps, the famous English poet, Robert Browning said it best"

"Truth is within ourselves, it takes no rise.

From outward things, whate'er you may believe.

There is an inmost center in us all,

Where truth abides in fullness...perfect

Clear perception which is truth.