POLITICS OF LIES
Politicians shamelessly lie to manipulate voters and normalise theft.
Trust and truthfulness are the first values every parent teaches their children. Sadly, as they grow and occupy political spaces, a significant number of them abandon the positive values imparted on them by their parents as children. This leads to the unfortunate belief that politicians are devoid of integrity hence not deserving to be trusted.
Observers believe that the tragedy of life is that because the majority of politicians are attracted by the allure of power or driven by partisanship at the expense of integrity and service to humanity, they tend to abandon those values and become shameless liars with the singular goal of manipulating the voter and normalise theft. When leaders are driven by motives such as power and the allure of riches, people lose faith in them and the institutions meant to offer service to the citizens and not the few greedy individuals hell-bent on looting the national resources. In the process, when the social fabric disintegrates leading to loss of faith in the leaders, violence ensues, complicating matters further. Exaggerations, omissions of truth, and the bending of truth, as well as flat-out lies become the order of the day.
Bernard Shaw, a critic and playwright has described a politician as a scoundrel who knows nothing but thinks he knows everything. Many believe that the epidemic of lies, double standards and fact twisting are the norm rather than the exceptions among politicians due mainly to the honesty deficit which makes it difficult for election losers to accept defeat without the need to scapegoat.
According to Professor Allen B Stern, as some public figures enter the political arena, a concerning transformation occurs. Professor Stern says this on the subject, ‘The Prevalence of Lies in Politics,’ which interrogates the normalisation of lies in politics and the spread of disinformation by political leaders.
The author observes, “Politics has become saturated with deception. Driven by motives like power, partisanship, or self-interest, politicians frequently propagate lies and falsehoods to manipulate the constituents. In the internet age, the consequences of disinformation spread rapidly through media ecosystems.” According to him, research demonstrates that the normalisation of lies and falsehoods breeds public cynicism and erodes democratic participation. When leaders consistently distort the truth, he observes, people lose faith in institutions and struggle to make informed choices. “Ultimately, deception in politics corrodes the social fabric and threatens citizens’ ability to self-govern based on reality.”
The Professor noted that beyond deteriorating trust, the spread of disinformation by politicians can spur violence among followers. In his view, when lies posed as facts inflame anger and prejudice, the results can turn dangerous. He suggests that studies demonstrate a link between political falsehoods and outbreaks of violence as happened in 2021 in the United States of America when a section of political radicals attacked the US Capitol. “Such events spotlight how deception by leaders can fuel extremism when people accept lies as truth,” the author notes. In his view, when political falsehoods turn defamatory or threaten public safety, leaders must face consequences. Politicians must commit to transparency, while independent media provides rigorous accountability. “Citizens should demand facts and vote out deceitful leaders. Imparting critical thinking and media literacy helps inoculate society against manipulation. Together, we can restore trust by making truth-telling an unshakable norm.” The author regrets the fact that while children learn why honesty matters, in politics, deception has become far too commonplace. “The normalisation of lies erodes social cohesion, while the spread of disinformation foments violence. To safeguard democracy, citizens and leaders must unite to demand facts, reject falsehoods, and restore trust through a shared commitment to the truth,” the author says.