Telling lies and the consequences....

[Drago]

Become a politician or join a religion, the two great human institutions which seem to be entirely based on lies, false promises and dubious claims.

I'd add to that estate agents and the legal profession.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Politicians lie because we want them to. "The country's fecked and I can promise you five years of misery before we can even begin to sort it out" will get you zero votes.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Politicians lie because we want them to. "The country's fecked and I can promise you five years of misery before we can even begin to sort it out" will get you zero votes.

I disagree, I think a Politician who actually stood up & said "The country's fecked and I can promise you five years of misery before we can even begin to sort it out but this is how we are going to do it & I can assure you not everybody will agree" Would be voted in.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I disagree, I think a Politician who actually stood up & said "The country's fecked and I can promise you five years of misery before we can even begin to sort it out but this is how we are going to do it & I can assure you not everybody will agree" Would be voted in.

Not when his opponent is saying that everything is in fine shape and he plans to lower taxes and increase public spending. People believe what they want to believe.

 

[KneesUp]

First rule of thumb when a politician is talking is to ask yourself "Why is this lying bastard lying to me?"

 

[Drago]

Politicians lie because we want them to. "The country's fecked and I can promise you five years of misery before we can even begin to sort it out" will get you zero votes.

Or even better, "the country's fecked and I can promise you five years of misery before we can even begin to sort it out, while the financial industry that caused the problem is allowed to get away without paying an extra penny towards it."

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Not when his opponent is saying that everything is in fine shape and he plans to lower taxes and increase public spending. People believe what they want to believe.

You appear to have specific Politicians in mind, I wasn't referring to any of the current bunch of reprobates from any persuasion that are currently on offer

 

[Domus]

Politicians don't lie, they have lapses of judgement.
They don't break the rules, they make mistakes.

 

[Drago]

Politicians don't lie, they have lapses of judgement.
They don't break the rules, they make mistakes.

He's one of them!

 

[oldwheels]

HMRC may get the ordinary punter if they lie but that rule does not necessarily apply to the rich including many current politicians. They have accountants to fiddle the money but the rest of us don’t.

 

[swee'pea99]

"I have squandered my resistance for a pocket full of mumbles, such are promises
All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I appreciate this may get moved into P&L lite....

Lying. If I lie at work to my employers or customers and get found out, I reasonably expect some punishment or at worst being fired. Lying to the police or HMRC comes at a cost too. But how-come certain politicians and others in the public spotlight/media are allowed to lie (often blatantly) without any form of punishment. How can you be the leader of a nation and serial lier? Why do we allow this to happen?
Surely this taints us all?

We've become used to the misrepresentation of facts to suit the underlying message of those imparting the information and, in effect, have given up challenging what we hear. We have become apathetic as a nation.

Politicians are to blame. The media is to blame. And our ever evolving culture is to blame - there once was a time when reasoned debate was the way of things (or at least that's how it seemed to me) but now it seems that the arguments of whoever shouts loudest prevails.

Shouty politicians in the HoC, shouty politicians at hustings, shouty pressure groups, shouty telly, shouty radio; noise - it's what we've become used to.

And amongst all the noise facts get skewed, promises get forgotten and accountability falls by the wayside - lies just disappear into the morass.

 

[craigwend]

Become a politician or join a religion, the two great human institutions which seem to be entirely based on lies, false promises and dubious claims.

People prefer the certainly of an untruth (however unplausable ) than uncertainty itself , sadly explains a great deal of things - we don't like not having an answer / not knowing so will accept a 'truth' regardless

 

[postman]

I told Mrs P i was tall dark and handsome,like Drago but then she went and got both cataracts done.

 

[Dirk]

I could post in this thread easily but if I did so I'd likely get banned from the forum.

Oh.....do go on.