Why we are so cynical today.

When politicians, financiers, bankers, businessmen and anyone else in positions of power or authority are, shall I say, selective in what they tell their constituents, their employees and the consuming public they open themselves to all types of accusations.  

We, that is the public, are not stupid, we are not unintelligent, we are not pawns on some political or economic “game board” to be manipulated and pushed around according to their wishes.

We, that is the public, do not like to be patronized, to be condescended too by politicians, “leaders”, businessmen or whomsoever. We, that is the public, are the only reason they are politicians (we vote) and we are the consuming public – there is no one else!

Treat us as lesser mortals and trust is put on hold. To use “weasel words” and tell untruths as if they were truths spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E. When truth is withheld, trust falters and when trust falters people become unsure about what those in authority mean and so problems arise. We, the citizens will become confused and listen to rumour and conspiracy theories which will then generate their own momentum and without the true facts, we the citizens, will form our own opinions and act accordingly. This may not be to the benefit of those who withhold the truth.

And what results from this patronizing, from this condescension, from this lack of trust, from  withholding information and the truth? Cynicism! We become cynical. When we become cynical we believe no one – not even when those we disbelieve may actually be telling the truth!

To understand what I mean it may help to quote what Confucius had to say about words and their meanings twenty-five centuries ago ( I use Simon Leys’ translation of the “Analects of Confucius”):

Asked what he would do first if he was appointed ruler, Confucius said, “I would rectify the names”. He explained, “If the names are not correct, if they do not match realities, language has no object. If language has no object, action becomes impossible – and therefore all human affairs become pointless and impossible. Hence the very first task of a true statesman is to rectify the names.”

Ask any politician in any country today how we, the public, the consumers, are supposed to make informed decisions when we are denied the facts and the truth? How are we, the public, the consumers, supposed to make informed decisions when what we are told does not equate to the facts as we experience them on a daily basis?

The truth will “out” eventually and when it does, watch out!!!