The Lying of U.S.

By

Kim Rush

 

     “Do not tell a lie,” said our good mothers to us as we, the masses of the U.S.,

grew through our childhood.But what is lying?In the insanity of the Third Crusade of

beliefs, is there objective truth based on credible facts, so that the fundamentalists on both

sides are confused, ignoring the facts and motivated by a belief that is a lie?Or is right or

wrong subjective, so that each side does not see themselves as lying, because each

subjectively believes they are right?Is either believed truth, truth? Each side in every

war has not thought that they were involved in a lie, but, with historical perspective, it

can be known that each side had accepted a lie as a motivating truth.Is there then a true,

true?  

 

      There seems to be no truth in the U.S. or anywhere else today?The normality of

society gives us the foundation of perceptual reality, and the norm of the U.S. like a

killing algae bloom in once clear sea water is awash in a grayness of diffusive lying.

 

     This reality surfaced when I recently moved to a city in the “heartland” religious

purity of the U.S.My East coast, in your face, then it’s done personality has created a

struggle to adapt myself to the passive/aggressive persona of this U.S. heart city.The

passive/aggressive lie of human interaction rubs this society to its normalcy of lying.

 

     A person of this “heartland” city shot out the back vent window of my car as it sat

disrespectfully on a city street in front of my overpriced apartment.In the effort to repair

this window, I called the auto glass company that claimed to be the most inexpensive in

this city.The voice in my ear said that the window would cost 900.00 dollars.After

regaining my voice, I sputtered out, “But it’s only about six square inches of glass.”The

speaker for the auto glass company assured me that the window could not be found in this

large city and he’d have to have it shipped to him and the price, although high, was

standard for such a window.I expressed my doubts and the speaker told me he’d search

the town and call me back.He did.An hour later he told me that he could buy a door

with the window in it for only 700.00 dollars.I thanked him and hung up.  Several calls

later, I knew I was in a city of lies.No one could get the window for less, but I had a

spoken guarantee that one auto glass company would install the window for forty dollars

if I could get the window to them.I searched the internet and found an auto supplier who

sent the window the next day for forty-eight dollars; including shipping costs.

 

     Window in hand, I called the auto glass installer who had promised to install it for

forty dollars, but on this day it would cost 180.00 dollars to install.“But, but, you said

you’d install it for forty dollars,” I exclaimed.

 

     “I never said that,” the voice countered.“You must have talked with someone

else.”

 

     “But didn’t that someone else speak for the company?” I questioned.

 

         “No one else but me speaks right now and it will cost you 180.00 bucks—we’re in

business to make a profit.”I hung up and considered the heartland of the U.S. city’s lies.

I began to pile up the lies of the city, the U.S. in which I live.Why do we live in such an

obscene, obvious reality of lies?You know them.You have your stories.But am I

being “fair” to the “heartland” city?Isn’t it common in capitalism, where each person in

the multimillions fights for the same penny crumb to survive in the fear of having to pay

bills, and in the fantasy hope to become rich?

    Why do we want to become rich?Is it to have no one controlling us with bills and

lies?Has our capitalistic system become the fertile soil of lying, changing our mother’s

admonition, “Do not tell a lie,” to the need for diffusive lying to survive in this now

vicious system?Has it become accepted, because it’s a capitalistic normality that we

daily swim in, trying to keep our heads above the heavy bill paying cost of living water?

          

           Now I considered listing the lies that I live in to finish this article, but rather than

that, I think it is best to ask you: Do you believe the 24/7 news, opinionated talking heads

present a true picture of reality?Do you believe the U.S. government?Do you believe

your local car sales person?Do you believe the IRS is fair?Do you believe the

government statistical statements of unemployment, U.S. economic prosperity, or the

U.S. low cost of living?Do you believe that in our courts a poor man’s justice is equal to

a rich man’s justice? Do you believe that the policeperson will stop a Rolls Royce doing

the same speed as you were when he/she gave you a ticket?Do you believe that the

police (humans) never lie?Do you believe your utility company’s bill is true?Do you

believe your religious leader has actually talked face-to-face with a supreme being (Now

think about it.Did a sparkling, physical, superior being appear to him or her?)?Do you

believe the deductions, not called taxes, taken from your paycheck will come back to

you?Do you believe that the thirty percent off sale is actually thirty percent off?Do you

believe the insurance company that the government makes you give money to for car

insurance will be fair to you if you have an accident?Do you believe that the home

owner’s insurance you have will be fair to you when you file a claim after a hurricane?

Do you believe the company you work for is fair to you in comparison to the CEO‘s pay?

Do you believe that in respect of the symbol of freedom, the flag, that one should be

punished for expressing that very freedom by burning that symbol? (Think about it.

Don’t get emotional; just think about it.)Do you believe, in a world of six billion, you or

your works can be known by all?Do you believe that in a world that has had twelve

billion people on it, that you will achieve everlasting fame?Do you believe that a poor

child could become anything he or she wants to be today?Do you believe the war on

terror has no financial incentive?Do you believe the U.S. borders are safe?Do you

believe the war on terror is true?Do you believe the oil companies have nothing to do

with government decisions?Do you believe that with the special interest groups’

influence on the government, you have a fair and just government?Do you believe the

U.S. government’s reasons for going to war with Iraq?Do you believe that in this

grayness of reality, that if a liar says he is lying, he/she is telling the truth?Do you

believe that capitalism today, where profit is the only value, has truth in it?

 

     In this algae bloom of diffusive lying, truth is not recognized. What is truth?If

you said “I believe” to any of the above questions, I have a six square inch car window

I’d like to sell you.The price will be true, for I got the true cost quoted from a company

in the “heart” of the lying of U.S. “Till human voices wake us, and we drown.” (T. S.

Eliot)