Sunday Weekly Review: When Should We Allow People to Believe the Lies that Sustain Them?
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Happy Easter!
For 21 months now, I have brought you “All the News the Government Does Not Want You to Know.” And I continue to be amazed by all who believe the lies the Bush Administration serves to us on a daily basis. From staged town hall meetings to paying journalists to covertly spout Administration propaganda to lying to us about the War in Iraq to avoiding press conferences to unparalleled secrecy, this Adminstration clearly does NOT want Americans to know the truth.
But is it always necessary to expose the truth? The best counter-argument I have ever seen to forcing people to confront the truth comes from a little-known play by a fairly well-known author: “The Wild Duck” by Hendrick Ibsen. Don’t worry: this little piece of literature won’t hurt you a bit. It’s actually a profound look at the little lies that sustain us all.
When should the truth be exposed? And when should lies be left alone?
I don’t have the answers to this one. But I have some very tough questions to ask.
–Mark Levine
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Peter Clayton April 2, 2005 10:24 pm
Well why don’t we all just get a little more depressed? The NY Times reports today that the Defense Advanced Research Project (Darpa) which has long underwritten research by the nation’s best computer scientists is sharply cutting its spending — in favor of — you guessed it — giving more money to secret military projects that will give the Pentagon more toys to blow-up countries and people. Darpa has been instrumental in funding research that’s led to most of the current innovations we’re using today — like the Internet, personal computers — technologies that have allowed this country to lead the world in high tech. Just when you thought the adminstration couldn’t possibly surpass their current stupidity quotent, they prove us wrong!
Long term, this decision will have dire consequences for our economy and our leadership in communications and computer technologies. Continuing on this idiotic path will insure China and India will become the world’s technology leaders, and they’ll be outsourcing low paying jobs to us!
Dr. A Adler April 2, 2005 12:47 pm
So, OK, so whats your insight on the question, Victor?
Victor April 1, 2005 8:42 pm
Dr. Adler –
That was ME that wanted to be a psychologist – one of Vicky’s persona’s.