TRUTH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 267, 5 February 1941, Page 4

TRUTH

PEOPLE to-day appear to have the greatest difficulty in speaking the straight, unvarnished truth. The simple fundamentals of telling of an incident, relating a situation or more commonly, still of speaking the correct facts about themselves seem to be. completely overlooked in the vain search to enlarge, to exaggerate, or to cover up. In these days when propaganda is recognised as a means to an end, it is not surprising to find the masses producing the 'bluff artist' whose legitimate lying is deemed to be an asset rather than a failing. In business the salesman who by the greatest amount of super-stupendous-unparalleled etc., sales talk is able to foist upon an unwilling public the unwanted good.s at his disposal"""!! hailed as a genius, and in some respedts he is, but there are many, many honest who fail miserably in spite of the fact that they have the genuine article, capable of giving vastly superior service than their glib-tongued competitor. We seem to be thriving on gilded adjectives, brought about primarily by newspaper headings and movie write-ups. The Americans who started the lying avalanche have coined a word to describe its fallacy—'Balony!' The net. result of this empty jangle of words is that the long suffering- public has grown sceptical, hard-headed and incredulous. Truth, in its straightest simplest form. 110 longer appeals. It must either be flared or garnishee} to meet with the popular palate. Yet there is no greater hunger on the part of mankind than for the real essence of truth. Many a successful businessman has owed his comfortable, early retirement to what has been termed shrewd dealing.' Fifty years ago his methods would probably ha,ve landed him behind bars. Half truths, and often open victimisation are not merely tolerated, but lauded as legitimate methods of making a living. In fact the average man has grown so used to it that he suspects the most genuine statements and usually discounts them according to his experience of his fellowmen. But why all this open lying is necessary in order to hand on information is something which will remain an enigma a.s long as Big Business seeks to push its own ugly head across the public threshold. The proof however of the pudding is in the eating, and it is gratifying to reflect that the 'bluff artist,' propagandist, shrewd dealer and the open 'liar' usually reaps his own reward in the long run be it socially or commercially. It will be a great day for people generally when they have* purged from their midst the formulators of gossip, exaggeration and victimisation.