!101-homepage-lie.png|border=1, hspace=12, align=left, alt=101 Cannot Say a Lie, title=101 Cannot Say a Lie!
h3. Consider removing the word "lie" from your political vocabulary...
We've taken the liberty to rewrite George Washington's apparently fictitious quote about having chopped down a cherry tree. We think it should be a general motto of citizenship: Unless you have objective stand-up-in-a-court-of-law type evidence that someone is knowingly conveying false information, then ick-snay on the "ie-ing-lay."
Given the serious nature of the accusation, we'd think it would be a societal _faux pas_ to run around saying people were lying. Notsomuch. Somehow we've reached a point where it is _pro forma_ to accuse people on the other side of the aisle of lying nearly every fourth word.
Notice how we treat political friends differently. We give them the benefit of the doubt. If they say something that is wrong, we assume they were misinformed or misspoke. But with foes - presumably the people we know less well - we head straight to the judging-evil-intent-despite-knowing-zippo land.
Also notice our odd behavior toward political "friends:" We often don't even bother to independently verify whether they are correct. Instead we just _assume_ they are (and assume the foe is wrong).
Most often what an unfriendly audience might think of as lying is actually just denial, for which human beings seem to have an infinite capacity. It's normal for us to grab on hard to the facts that support our conclusion and ignore the ones that don't. It's part of the human condition of imperfection. Consider a quote which I heard so long ago that I can't source it, but whoever wrote it was very very smart:
{quote}
"You cannot be any more honest with other people than you are with yourself."
{quote}So important, it bears repeating:
{quote}
"You cannot be any more honest with other people than you are with yourself."
{quote}
So why not just strike "lie/lying/liar" from your vocabulary when it comes to other people and instead work on the corners in your life where you might be using a wee smidge of denial? C'mon... it'll be an adventure\!
Now practice with me and [Joe Wilson|http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/09/gop-rep-wilson-yells-out_n_281480.html] :
"I believe you may be incorrect."
(Though perhaps you might want to wait until _after_ the State of the Union speech?)
h3. People who apparently can - and do - say "a lie"
Flinging about accusations like calling people liars is poisoning the civic well. Do you have examples? (This exercise is akin to holding up underwear at the front of the class, which might be what it takes to turn this behavior around...)
h3. Consider removing the word "lie" from your political vocabulary...
We've taken the liberty to rewrite George Washington's apparently fictitious quote about having chopped down a cherry tree. We think it should be a general motto of citizenship: Unless you have objective stand-up-in-a-court-of-law type evidence that someone is knowingly conveying false information, then ick-snay on the "ie-ing-lay."
Given the serious nature of the accusation, we'd think it would be a societal _faux pas_ to run around saying people were lying. Notsomuch. Somehow we've reached a point where it is _pro forma_ to accuse people on the other side of the aisle of lying nearly every fourth word.
Notice how we treat political friends differently. We give them the benefit of the doubt. If they say something that is wrong, we assume they were misinformed or misspoke. But with foes - presumably the people we know less well - we head straight to the judging-evil-intent-despite-knowing-zippo land.
Also notice our odd behavior toward political "friends:" We often don't even bother to independently verify whether they are correct. Instead we just _assume_ they are (and assume the foe is wrong).
Most often what an unfriendly audience might think of as lying is actually just denial, for which human beings seem to have an infinite capacity. It's normal for us to grab on hard to the facts that support our conclusion and ignore the ones that don't. It's part of the human condition of imperfection. Consider a quote which I heard so long ago that I can't source it, but whoever wrote it was very very smart:
{quote}
"You cannot be any more honest with other people than you are with yourself."
{quote}So important, it bears repeating:
{quote}
"You cannot be any more honest with other people than you are with yourself."
{quote}
So why not just strike "lie/lying/liar" from your vocabulary when it comes to other people and instead work on the corners in your life where you might be using a wee smidge of denial? C'mon... it'll be an adventure\!
Now practice with me and [Joe Wilson|http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/09/gop-rep-wilson-yells-out_n_281480.html] :
"I believe you may be incorrect."
(Though perhaps you might want to wait until _after_ the State of the Union speech?)
h3. People who apparently can - and do - say "a lie"
Flinging about accusations like calling people liars is poisoning the civic well. Do you have examples? (This exercise is akin to holding up underwear at the front of the class, which might be what it takes to turn this behavior around...)