Discuss: Americans Would Rather Be Lied To Than Told The Truth.......

[global1]

I got to thinking today that - yeah - Americans are more content being lied to than being told the truth. I think back on the Bush Administration - which in my humble opinion was day after day of lies - from the top down. Yet the American People kind a fell for it hook, line and sinker. Think Fox News - all lies all the time - yet they have a big following. How about campaign commercials? Many are based on lies or half truths or at least bending of the truths. Even many regular commercials for common products - we're being lied to or at least manipulated in kind of a dishonest way.

I can't explain it but it seems like Americans feel better when they don't know the real truth.

Then you take a President like Barack Obama. I see him as a pretty honest straight shooter. He has a way of explaining things in a way that speak to us common folk. Yet - many Americans don't trust him or don't believe him or don't want to believe him. It seems like they don't want to hear the truth.

Take something like the statement - the economy is getting better - but we still have a long way to go. People don't want to hear that. But that is the truth. They would rather like to hear that the economy sucks and the only thing that will help that along is that you have to elect me to Congress (a common theme of Repub commercials).

Or we'll never completely do away with terrorists. That is the reality of the situation - but people would rather hear that we can really completely eliminate terrorism.

There are countless examples of what is the truth and what people would rather hear or what people believe that really isn't very truthful.

Now I don't know if this just human nature or if we the people just don't like to be told the truth - because sometimes - the truth hurts.

Now I seem to be rambling here - but this has been bothering me for a while now and I thought that maybe if I try to express it and we can talk it out here on DU - I'd feel better.

Any thoughts on this DU?

[TreasonousBastard]

1. The lies you speak of tend to be simplistic, therefore...

easier understood than the more complicated truth. They also tend to fit in with some preconceived notions, or at least notions that people prefer to believe. The lie is something people want to believe.

So, yeah, a well crafted lie will take off and blow away the truth every time.

[global1]

4. So To Win Over A Person We Need To Tell Them A.....

lie that they want to believe.

So that's how many Repub politicians get away with spewing their lies cause they always appeal to somebody that wants to believe that lie. Even if we call them out on their lies - their lies worked on a portion of people who want to believe those lies. Hence a success for the politician who told the lie and no embarrassment for them because they are hailed as successful.

[quaker bill]

6. So you start with telling them

how smart, special, hard working, and moral they are. You tell them they are the "true Americans". Then the serious lying starts, you tell them they are the "true Americans" because like you, they believe.....(fill in the blank).... rinse and repeat.

Con men have been doing this forever, but the RW has made a fine art of it.

[TreasonousBastard]

15. That's about it...

Reagan had it down pat, and the ones we have now have refined it.

[SamKnause]

2. Just my 2 cents;

Our judicial system has given legal protection for our corporate owned media to lie.

Our government abuses the use of classifying documents.

Our government continues to be caught in lie after lie.

It is now legal, thanks to our justice system, for the Pentagon to use propaganda.

Our electoral process leaves much to be desired.

Group 1;

A large portion of the U.S. population do not know the truth about many subjects.

A large portion of the U.S. population works 2 or 3 jobs. They do not have the time to research is the media lying or is the government lying.

A large portion of the U.S. population are fighting to keep food on their tables and a roof over their heads.

They are stressed beyond the breaking point !!!

When they get free time they want to spend it with their friends, families, or doing something entertaining that releases that stress.

Group 2;

A portion of the U.S. population are 1 issue voters.

If they agree with a candidate on many issues, but that candidate is pro choice or believes homosexuals have the right to marry, this group will NOT vote for that candidate.

This group votes on religious teachings and beliefs.

Group 3;

This group is anti anything that helps the poor and believes that everyone starts at the same point and has the same opportunities.

Group 4;

This group thinks white males should control the U.S. government.

They want to take this country back in time.

They fear the day that they will become the minority in this country.

Group 5;

This group is the smallest, but has the most political power.

They are the elites.

They have power over the media.

They have power over the government.

Group 6;

This group believes in equality and fairness.

This group believes when all U.S. citizens thrive it is good for the U.S. and the world.

They believe in equal pay.

They are pro choice.

They are pro on LBGT issues.

They believe in a living wage.

They believe women should have medical control over their bodies, not male government politicians.

They are anti war.

They are pro cannabis.

They embrace science, facts, data, research, history, anthropology, biology and etc.


Group 1 votes against their best interest out of ignorance. This helps the Republicans.
Group 2 thinks the U.S. is a Christian nation. This helps the Republicans who run on family values and God.
Group 3 thinks everyone should pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. This helps Republicans who run on slashing all social services.
Group 4 are afraid of losing their guns and freedom. This helps Republicans who adore the NRA.
Group 5 vote to protect their wealth. This helps Republicans who run on lowering corporate taxes, deregulation, slashing social services, and privatizing EVERYTHING !!!
Group 6 They are frowned upon in this country by the corporations and the government. There is no money to be made in peacetime. Their political candidates run on social issues. They run on Social Security, living wage issues, women's right issues, immigrants issues, cannabis rights, environmental issues, and education. This helps the Republicans.

This is not a scientific study.
This is my personal observation on the situation in my country.

[global1]

3. Wow!!! Great Analysis...

So if we're group 6ers we're outvoted 5 to 1.

It looks like the Repugs and their think tanks take all this into consideration when they are formulating their strategies in the run up to elections. Then it's easy to shoot a targeted campaign ad to appeal to groups 1 to 5.

Even if we raise and spend a lot of money to appeal to group 6ers we're outgunned(no pun intended).

That means group 6ers really need to come out in force to win an election - like we did when Obama was elected or we don't win.

Even if people buy in to your analysis - they don't choose to believe it and vote based on the grouping they fall in.

[SamKnause]

7. Thank you for the compliment.

[global1]

14. You Know I Got To Thinking About The Groups You Set Up And....

wanted to explore this with you.

I've talked to some of my Repub friends that are either embarrassed or disgusted with their Repub leadership. They have told me that they will either sit out this election or vote for the other Party. This is not just one or two Repubs - I've been hearing this from quite a few - and around the country - because I travel a lot for my job.

Also - you identified one issue voters in your description. Do you think their are now one issue voters that President Obama and the Dems have converted? I mean Repubs that now are focused on one issue as well and they would abandon their previous affiliation with the Repub Party because of one issue. Here are some of the one issues that I'm thinking of:

- Repubs that now have affordable health care coverage because of Obama and the Dems and don't want to lose it
- Repub students that have excessive student loans and know that the Dems could give them some relief versus Repubs
- Repub parents of these above students that want to see their children succeed
- Repub women concerned about women's rights; equal pay; birth control; choice; not being subjected to invasive testing; etc (basically all the women's issues that the Repubs have been infringing on)
- Repubs that live in states under Repub Governors - that see first hand the damage that the Repub Governors have been creating
- Repubs that have been impacted by the outbreak of mass shootings going on around the country and are seeing the wisdom in some sort of gun control; gun legislation
- Repubs that have been hurt by this economy; lost a job; lost unemployment; (yes I believe there are an appreciable amount of those voters out there)
- Repubs that have to deal with our failing infrastructure and can see the common sense of putting an effort to fix it also knowing that it would create jobs and give a shot in the arm to the economy
- Repubs that believe in global climate change

There are probably other examples of similar other (1) issues that the Dems have created to pull Repub voters away from their Party.

I'm just wondering where these types of voters fit in your groups analysis and if these people could be a factor in Tuesdays election.

I'm thinking this - because this is one of the first elections that I'm thinking that the Dems have created some one issue voters and I'm wondering if this could make a difference on Tuesday as well?

It seems to me that the Repubs that are running for an office on Tuesday really don't have any solid platform or plans that they are running on. They just seem to be either anti-Obama or anti-Dem. It just seems to me that the Repubs are on the wrong side of most every pressing issue this country is facing. I have to believe that their are many Repub voters out their that are questioning how they could vote Repub going forward seeing what their Party has done over the last 6 years.

I would appreciate your comments on this.

[Takket]

11. I think you nailed it!

[KG]

5. america is a country the desperately wants to believe in fairey tales

i don't even have to leave DU to see that...

[Donald Ian Rankin]

8. "Americans" is nothing to do with it.

Having to admit that you are wrong is always uncomfortable.

People everywhere would rather have their false beliefs confirmed than corrected.

If you want to, go and listen to the song "Two lovely black eyes" about this topic...

[randome]

9. I think it's much simpler than that.

Most Americans simply don't care. We have become so populous and spread out, there is little need to band together on 'philosophical' issues (meaning those that don't directly affect the majority) that we don't get excited about the antics of our strange representatives. Other than to talk about them on Internet forums.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You have to play the game to find out why you're playing the game. -Existenz[/center][/font][hr]

[elias49]

10. I agree it's about 'caring'...

most Americans are just so distracted that they don't want to be bothered by pesky truths and facts. They're busy watching TV after they get out of work. Or they're too busy sending money to Apple for the latest iteration of tools of social disintegration....IPhone 6 Iphone 6.5 IWatch....oh, and "pay" for it with your Apple creditline.


We're screwed.

[betsuni]

12. Something Bill Bryson wrote about Americans:

"Their approach to everyday encounters is trusting, straightforward, almost touchingly literal." Touchingly literal, yes, easy to fool.

[JaneyVee]

13. Out of sight, out of mind. Should be America's motto.

[Recursion]

16. *People* would rather be lied to, for the most part (nt)