‘Bullshit!’ How to Detect It and Expose It
It’s hard to not be cynical.
After 35 years of being a parent and trying to raise children to be both successful at their personal goals and great people in their community, the best advice I have is don’t trust anyone.
The thing is that Liars lie! Who is a liar? Everyone!
Let’s break this down sector by sector.
Government
The New York Times wrote that in response to an earlier article about Donald Trump's lies, readers thought that he wasn’t THAT bad compared to the other Liars: I mean, Presidents. “Yes, but if you made a similar list for previous presidents, (he) would be just as bad.”
Big Business
“There’s also a long history of banking scandals, including those that led to the Great Recession. Perhaps the biggest lie is that the banking industry has learned from its mistakes. It clearly has not!”, quotes Newsweek
Clearly, the people we elect to govern the world, and the Banks to whom we entrust our money, are the chief fibbers.
Church
Even the famous English sleuth Father Brown told ‘pork ‘pies’ occasionally.
More infamously the Catholic Church’s cover-up of child molestation in nearly every diocese in the world (it seems) continues to make headlines.
Australia’s number one cleric Cardinal Pell is facing charges ATM. He is also currently the Pope’s Treasurer!
Police
Police corruption is where we really observe that Lord Acton’s claim-
‘Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts, absolutely’.
…is as relevant today as it was when he proclaimed it against the British Monarchy in the 19th Century.
The main trouble we have with law enforcement that I see, is that corrupt Legislature are disregarded by corrupt Courts when prosecuting charges by corrupt Police Forces.
Maybe the ‘Thieves Code’ is the only one we can rely upon.
Tradespeople
Have you ever got a quote for plumbing or home improvements? In Australia, Plumbers and Electricians earn more per hour than Liars: I mean Lawyers.
Doctors
I know doctors mean well, but this God Complex has gone on too long!
My best friend is a very prominent Radiologist and a fine human being so I’m not anti-medico.
But
The amount of nutritional information and knowledge about alcoholism and drug addiction known by your average GP wouldn’t fill a Tweet!
That’s not a felony, however dealing out prescriptions on the advice of Pharmaceutical reps might be.
Pharmaceuticals
Which brings us to perhaps the greatest liars of all — the Drug Companies. Never have so many been ripped off by so few for so long.
Together with the Cigarette corporations, these wolves in lanolin scented poly-nylon sell dubious cures for every imaginable discomfort, whilst buying patents to real science and drawing them. Nice!
These are the bully’s in the playground that just got richer and bought some politicians.
They’re lying to us when they have something to advertise, but they’re most dangerous when they’re silent.
Farmers
Free-range chickens? For ‘Big Farma’, see Big Pharma above.
Parents
From the time our children can understand us we’re bullshitting ’em. Let’s face it.
“You’re a beautiful boy”. is the first one. “You’re Grandma’s favourite”.
Then there is all the ‘Why’ questions that we don’t really know the answer to, like “Why is the sky blue, Daddy?”.
“Sex is only for Mummies and Daddies”.
Don’t get me started on Santa, Easter Bunny, and Dolly Parton!
Children
With all this lying going on, fairy tales being told and advertising during Kids TV, it not surprising that our Little Darlings turn into Lying Little Bastards!
Johnny did it always! “I didn’t even touch it”. “The dog ate my homework”.
The Pharmaceutical companies then offer these Darlings scholarships.
How to Detect it
Here is a little rule that might help you, that’s worked for me for a while.
Believe NOTHING of what you hear and HALF of what you see!
Scientists are now discovering that what appears to my mind is not exactly what is happening in front of my eyes. Even as a young drunk I knew better than to hit on the barwoman!
How to Expose it
Keep reading and writing on Medium. Ev Williams has created a democracy for people like you and me.
There is no advertising banners and sneaky pop ups.
Members contribution compensate writers and real people write about heir real lives and interests. It’s socialisation of ideas.
Apart from that I’ve got nuthin’!
Mike is the Dad of 5, Member of Ganden Buddhist Meditation Centre and a 10 years sober member of the firm.
Keep updated with news about Dharma and addiction issues, and be first with special releases.
