Today I am writing about the cost of silence and the benefits of lying.
Portland, Oregon has several unsolved murders. Many remained unsolved because people don't come forward even though they have information that could solve the crime. Last week the Portland Police produced a video titled "The Cost of Silence" and sent it out to various sites, including You Tube. The video was made to encourage people to come forward and to tell the truth. I like the idea of the video but will it be helpful to crime solving? I just don't know and in spots the video was a little confusing. If the video helps to solve one crime than it is deserves to be shared. You can watch the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyRYN7SByuM
Following along the lines of truth telling, I recently attended the movie THE INVENTION OF LYING. The movie is a comedy film, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson. It stars Gervais and Jennifer Garner. The film is set in an alternate reality in which no one has ever lied. Not only does no one tell a lie, but people often tell the entire truth, or blurt out very blunt remarks and opinions that people in normal society would normally keep to themselves. Organized religion does not exist, nor are there any forms of fiction, in both film and literature. Ads for commercial products tell the truth. I am not going to review the movie because it really wasn't that good. Really not worth the money the theaters now charge. However, the concept was interesting and it brought about several questions.
Could we live in a world where everyone told the truth about everything? Would we want to? I try really hard to be truthful in all areas of my life but I will admit to both white lies to avoid an argument or to avoid hurting someone's feelings. I will also admit to lies (not really lies, but just not volunteering information) to help my clients. Would I want to have that option taken away? I honestly don't know.
Would I want to hear for example, "I don't want to date you because you are out of my league" instead of "we just don't have chemistry?" Would you want to hear, "yes your butt looks big in that outfit because it is big in any outfit", instead of "honey, you look good in anything." What about "that is the dumbest idea I've ever heard of" rather than the idea has potential? When you turn on TV and the ad appears before you would like to hear "Go ahead and buy this soft drink even though it has more sugar than anything on earth and leads to bad health and may lead to diabetes." Would you buy the product? Remember the decline in sales of the company leads to job loss and unemployment, which in turn could lead to higher prices. And the list goes on.
I am often been described by friends and relatives as "honest to a fault." I never really thought about it until I went to THE INVENTION OF LYING. Now I am wondering if there is a room in this world for some form of untruthfulness and maybe my friends and relatives are right. It is a fault to be as honest as I try to be.
Questions for the day. Will the video THE COST OF SILENCE lead to some crimes being solved? Would you want to live in a world where all forms of lying was banned? Are you always honest? Tell me the truth.
TODAY'S TRIVIA:
Yesterday's answer: Amazing Grace. Rear Admiral Grace Hopper
Today's Who Am 1?
This is from Connie. Today we are going to honor college football Saturday with a male barrier breaker. I was born in 1946. I was the first football player of my race to be recruited by a Texas University. I had over one hundred scholarship offers but none from traditionally all black football powers because I was considered to small by those universities to be a football player. In 1966 I made my debut as the first football player of my race in the conference of the university I attended. I lead the university to our first Cotton Bowl appearance in two decades. I was consensus all conference the times and an All American as a senior as well as an Academic All-American that year. HBO produced a documentary about the integration of college football which highlighted my struggles while I integrated my conference. I played my first season of professional football with the Houston Oilers, later in my career I played with the San Diego Chargers. After my football career ended, I became a successful businessman. I was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1995, and to the National College Football Hall of Fame in 2003. Who Am I?
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6 comments:
Questions for the day -- No, THE COST OF SILENCE will not lead to anything. Bad video. Too long. Confusing, and they tried too hard to be arty when they should have been imparting information. They didn't even have a conviction yet on the one perp they caught after 20 years, so unless their case is bulletproof, they're a little premature in crowing about that one.
I can't imagine a world without lying, though I'd like to see a world with less of it. I indulge in most of the little white lies that you mention, and try not to put people in a position of having to lie with questions such as "do I look fat in these pants?" I think I'm honest in everything important. I try to be. And that's the truth. Honest. [g]
Hi Pat
The reason they didn't get a conviction on the perp as after he came forward and went before a judge the murder was ruled self-defense.
I would like to see a lot less lying especially in the political world and with political ads.
And I believe you.
Bill
Agree with you and Pat - the video didn't really tell me WHY to come forward or with WHAT information or HOW it could help. It was confusing. Now, I see your msg that the perp got off on a self-defense plea? I thought he killed a young woman in her apartment? Now I really am confused!
A world without lying -- what a concept. Some good points, especially about the number of products that probably wouldn't get sold. OTOH, would it mean people would create products that really did have good points, were good for us, helped us in some real way? Take the "no lying" concept into politics at any level... sure would shorten campaigns! "I promise to do my best to pass (whatever), which I can only do if the majority of Congress cooperates and I'm waiting for them to each state their position and how they'd vote on the issue." Whoa! What a concept.
For myself, I do my best to be honest, although I'm like you and Pat with the little white lies and like you with clients. Am I going to tell a client his books is absolutely awful? No, I'm going to point out it has a number of problems to be resolved, before he's ready to have a critique. On occasion, I tell an inquirer I'm not taking new clients at this point, which is technically true at that moment in time. I suppose I'm guilty of lying by ommission (I think that's the phrase). For instance, my family knows nothing about the biopsies or results, simply because they'd worry for no good reason and I've got my prayer chains going. Omission also means not directly answering a question, when I know what they want to hear and can't satisfy that. Basically, I consider myself an honest person. Quite frankly, I can't lie well, anyway. I learned at a very early age that my face gives me away. I guess that's a good thing (wry s)?
Hi DR
The video was a good idea poorly executed. He did but she was going after him and had a weapon.
Forcing companies to tell the truth in their ads no doubt would lead to better products in my humble opinion.
I also do the best being honest for a number of reasons, one I don't have a good enough memory to lie and like you my face would absolutely give me away.
I also wouldn't tell my mom if I was diagnosed with cancer. I'd have to tell about when I was having sugery but in order not to worry her I would make up something a lot less serious.
What was interesting in the movie is the main character was the only one that lied so everyone believed him. He lied to everyone but just couldn't lie to the woman he loved.
Bill
Well, now I'm really puzzled. How did they find out 20 years later that the woman was coming for the guy and he killed her in self-defense?
Hi Pat
Maybe the article in the Oregonian got it wrong or maybe they just
simply took his word for it.
Bill
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