People talk…..a lot. Politicians are a special case. The election is winding down……and we have heard a lot, probably too much. Unfortunately, a great deal of what we have heard is untrue. This includes the media, the politicians, and the people around us. It has reached the point where we don’t discuss politics in polite conversation. And that is sad, not to mention dangerous for our republic. Today, I want to discuss the things that people say…….that are not true.
Donald Trump promises a booming economy that will fix all of our problems, lower our debt, raise our wages, and lower our taxes. I doubt that all of this is true.
Oprah Winfrey warns of a fascist takeover that will never allow us to vote again. I doubt that this is true.
If these things happen in the next four years, I will apologize and retract this post.
So….what do we do when someone tells us something that just isn’t true?
The first step is to recognize the untruth. This is harder than it sounds because there is so much of it out there and it is repeated ad nauseum by an army of talking heads who think we are gullible. And we are pretty gullible…..especially when the untruth supports our appetites, our prejudices, and our political identity. But, this first step is essential. When anyone, friend or foe, tells us anything, our first decision must be…….”is this true?” In the realm of politics, the probability of an untruth is extremely high. And we need to know how to react.
The next step is to categorize the untruth. And this is the core of this post. It goes to the heart of the person who said it, their motivation, and how we deal with them. It goes to our relationships which, after all, is the reason that we were put here in the first place.
I divide untruth into three classes:
Lies
Hyperbole
Mistakes
Lies:
The heart of the lie is that the person who tells the lie knows it is untrue and is using it to manipulate you into giving them something that they want. Typically, a politician lies about his/her opponent in order to get your vote.
Hyperbole:
Hyperbole is an exaggeration of a situation. It typically begins with something that the speaker believes. At the core of the hyperbole, there is often, but not always, a grain of truth. The problem is that the speaker exaggerates the situation to the point where it is no longer true. Hyperbole can be difficult to spot, especially when it is built around a grain of truth that we like. Any political statement that uses the word Hitler is likely hyperbole. Most name calling is hyperbole.
Mistakes:
This may be the most common form of untruth. Someone analyses a situation, comes to an incorrect conclusion, and then shares that conclusion with you. The problem is that the conclusion is wrong. The thing that they tell you is untrue. Mistakes often manifest when a friend digests a lie or a hyperbole, believes it and passes it on. I see this every day when a friend shares a Facebook post that is untrue or even hateful. When you share a Facebook post that is hateful or untrue, you are endorsing that hate/lie. Good people do this all of the time.
So……what to do?
First, you must ask. Is this true?
Second, you must categorize the untruth because this affects your response.
The lie: The speaker knows that what he is saying is false. He is doing it intentionally in order to manipulate you. Do not allow yourself to be manipulated…..fooled. You are required to love him and treat him well. You are not required to believe him or to act on his lie. You can try to argue with him, educate him, but you are probably wasting your time, because even he doesn’t believe what he is saying. Calling him a liar is useless…….he already knows. Just love him and move on.
The hyperbole: The speaker believes he is doing a good thing, because there is a particle of truth in what he says. He may believe some of what he is saying. Still, he is trying to manipulate you. His motivation is not so evil as the liar, but your response is the same. Love him. Argument/education may work here, but it must grow out of love.
The mistake: There is no evil here. There is no malfeasance. There is no manipulation. There may be some bias in his analysis. He may be operating on a bad assumption. He could be the unwitting victim of a liar. He may be carrying some baggage that you know nothing about. The key is that he sincerely believes what he is saying. Conversation can work here. But, there is a very real possibility that you may alienate, or even hurt him. Be gentle. Love him. Above all, do not be angry or hurt. He has just made a mistake…….like the one you will make in the next hour.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Jesus in Matthew 7:15, ESV
An exaggeration is a truth that has lost its temper.
Kahil Gibran
For we all stumble in many ways.
James 3:2, ESV
“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. “
Mark Twain……a good working definition of a mistake.