Trump, Johnson, Putin
Roger Bara

So many people show leniency towards these lies because they want to believe them; if a wanker of a political leader confirms that leaving the EU, (Brexit), will result in an extra £375,000,000 going directly to Britain’s beloved National Health Service, what’s not to believe?

Boris Johnson’s contempt for the truth did not end there. He acted in a number of corrupt ways, without seemingly damaging his image, at least in the eyes of his supporters. How can this happen?

Lies can easily and efficiently shape people’s thinking even after someone realises the information is false. But why are so many, so gullible?

The more outrageous and audacious the lie is, the more people assume it must be true because, well, why would someone make something like that up? It also reinforces their own bias.  If you think Boris is a loveable rogue, who tells it like it is, you happily accept his claim that no parties took place around Downing Street during the lockdown crisis, even though it’s been proved beyond doubt that he was lying through his back teeth.

Boris Johnson

You may ask: when does Boris lie? I would answer every time he opens his mouth. Without a doubt, Johnson has lied more convincingly and shamelessly than any other figure in U.K. political history. O.K., he finally got his come-uppance by being replaced by the most untalented politician ever to reach a cabinet position, let alone Prime Minister. But he is among the favourites to replace the hapless Liz Truss, because his supporters are happy to go along with his deceit and untruths so long as the Tory party remain in power. 

Too many people have not the compunction to check political statements for correctness and balanced nuances; they do not want to believe the unthinkable, that the information being given to them is absolutely false, but given in the knowledge that supporters will forgive each and every lie that gets emitted.  Those supporters feel safe that their own biases and prejudices are echoed by their masters, and that makes everything O.K.

Twats, all of them. You know what? It’s said you get the government you deserve. That says it all as far as the people of the U.K are concerned.  A fair proportion of them should be utterly ashamed. The Tory party should rot in hell, not be given another chance to lie their way to power by village idiots.


Why are political lies so easily believed?

Our Rusuk Blog writer Sergey

The best politician is the one who sells myths to the public. This is a special talent to charm people en masse. Just deliver what is needed; this must be some ancient wisdom regarding politics and public relations. 

One such thing is to please people by saying that they’re great. This trick is successfully used by any politician, no matter democratic or authoritarian. We have Hitler, Mussolini, and Putin on one side, and de Gaulle or Reagan, on the other. 

Putin

It doesn’t matter if it is true or not. In Russia, real incomes have been decreasing for eight consecutive years since 2014 (Crimea) but our Great Leader each year increasingly sells the pretty cool idea that Russians are as great as ever before in their history. They are keepers of true values when the rest of the world, especially the West, is droning in the sea of sins. It sounds like an anecdote but it is working. So far our master of puppets has been successful in fooling people. Hopefully, his latest little adventure in Ukraine will put an end to it; I’ll be freaking glad to witness it. 

Anyway, people love to hear sweet dreams even if they contradict reality like with the myth of Great Mother Russia. This is why people often deserve their rulers as they fall to the lies about themselves. 

This is how it works; the world keeps on turning around with every epoch, every ruler, and every nation. We love to hear nice things about ourselves even if they are not true, both on personal and social levels. Sometimes a magician is popping up to perform this old trick to the public.  


Hook Line & Sinker

Photograph of Dean Lewis

This is a topic I feel passionately about. I believe that the lies spread by a small handful of politicians around the world are destroying Western Democracy. These angry people crave power and don’t care who or what gets destroyed in the process of getting it. While I could easily attack several leaders for their patient lies, largely believed by their citizens, I will limit myself to the liar living in America.

In the hours after the 2020 election in the US, Donald acknowledged and lamented losing the contest. He told staff that he was surprised he lost. But within days, he started spreading the “Big Lie”. Now, this is important. As part of the lie, there were sixty-three lawsuits filed all across the country. Trump lost 63 to 0. Even Trump-appointed Judges said there was no proof for anything alleged. Case after case – lost.

According to Wikipedia: “Nearly all the suits were dismissed or dropped due to lack of evidence. Judges, lawyers, and other observers described the suits as ‘frivolous’ and ‘without merit’.” At what point would a thoughtful person start to think that maybe there really is something amiss?

Trump

But never mind all that, Nevada, home to some seriously wacko nut-jobs, hired the partisan Cyber Ninjas to get the right answer. And they did: there was no voter fraud. Still not satisfied, the President of The United States decided to attempt to overthrow the Government on the Sixth of January. To this day, large segments of the Republican Party contend that the election was actually stolen from the real President.

Obviously, something else is going on here. A large swath of Americans sincerely believes that there was massive voter fraud. Now where do you suppose they could get an idea like that? Clearly folks are getting “alternative facts”. I will argue that the rise of the Internet and Cable TV is destroying Liberal Democracy, worldwide.

Today, many get their news from closed sources that make serious money by misleading an audience. An audience that wants to be misled. Nobody likes to be wrong, especially about something important. It’s far easier to turn the channel to a network that confirms your belief’s than it is to admit you were taken in by a con-man.

And let’s not talk about all those court cases, or the many recounts, and Trump Attorney General Bill Barr. We want to talk about the obvious and overwhelming evidence of fraud. And if some random smart-ass asks a hard question we simply respond with “What about Hillary Clinton and all those emails? When will the main stream Press talk about that?” Everybody knows Trump won, so why are we even having this stupid blog?