The art of lying. It is taught to CIA employees, government officials are good, sometimes great at it. Kids come by it naturally. Careers have been made being able to spot it. Lying is the social grease that allows shit to get done. I will put you an example.
Obama ran his last campaign on "hope and change". This was a lie. Bill Clinton said he didn't have sex in the oval office, at least on the predication that sex involved vaginal penetration. He lied. I'm sure millions of people were asked this morning how they are, and a shitload of them said "fine" - another lie.
But who wants to take a potential "smalltalk" scenario and make a big fucking deal about it? If someone who isn't crucial to your well being asks you how you are, it would be a social faux pas to say much other than "fine". Anything other than some positive statement leads to the divulging of information which is none of the other persons business. If a negative answer is given, followed by no explanation then low and behold you appear to be an asshole - or hung over.
The sad irony to lying, especially in government is we all know it happens. The rules for human interaction don't all of the sudden change in the confines of public office. However, there seems to be an unspoken rule about lying to the public - never admit it. Ever!
Secretary of defense Robert Gates was called to a congressional hearing and I can only assume that because dude is on his way out of the job he felt compelled to be, well, honest. Here is his quote:
"First of all I would say based on 27 years in the CIA, and four and a half years in this job, most governments lie to each other. That's the way business gets done". It is so hard not to love this guy! But a strange contradiction exists even at the upper levels in government. For instance you can lie to the police with impunity, but lying to the feds is a crime. Go figure.
The Wienergate fiasco is another perfect example.
Mr. Wiener lied, no question. He admitted he lied, which coming from a liar is another subject altogether. That said, why is it acceptable for our, my government to lie to anyone and everyone about God knows what, and then persecute a guy for doing it? All he did was take their game and go pro...
It reminds me of a PSA that ran several years ago where the dad finds out his son is a junkie. When asked where he ever learned to do drugs, the son screams at his father, "I learned it from watching you".
No wonder the rest of the world despises us.
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