What is Truth? ...continued

EXAGGERATION AND SPIN

Human nature has a tendency to exaggerate, especially if one wants to make an impression, or persuade people. We all know of individuals who are prone to enlarge the facts. The events or folk they are describing are made much more exciting than they really are, and often not a lot of harm is done and we take most of the things they say with the proverbial pinch of salt. It is sad however when their credibility is called into question.

We have now moved into a new area of big-time exaggeration or spin as it is now known. Some newspapers have their own political agenda and will slant their reports accordingly. Truth be told some of us choose the newspapers that best encourage our prejudices!

Government departments and their spokesmen are coming more and more under pressure about their reports. There is talk about documents being 'sexed up' - whatever that means. One of course can understand any spokesman putting a favourable slant on a report, but when it involves deceit, or a deliberate desire to mislead the public, it is high time that the brakes were applied, because when intrigue is eventually discovered - and discovered it usually is - credibility is destroyed and a backlash often follows. The public is neither nor stupid. You can't fool all the people all the time!

A little lad seemed to have his ethics very simple when he said "If you always tell the truth, you never need remember what you have said". And from a higher authority when the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Ephesus he said "Let every man speak truth with his neighbour(10).