Lying by Not Telling All
Here is a smattering of yesterday’s headlines: “Marie Osmond: Faint or Fake?” “Miss Puerto Rico: Pepper-Sprayed or Publicity Stunt?” Then there’s the ongoing Drew Peterson saga and attempted suicide of the brother: Was it the blue-barrel episode that instigated guilt or some other death wish? Intersperse those headlines with the daily litany of politicians spouting statistics about their congressional voting records, Iraqi war statistics, and dire warnings about economic doomsday.
In social settings, people often exaggerate to make a good strong point or a funny story. In business or politics, lying happens in numerous ways. True—but incomplete—statements can lead to false conclusions; literal truth, when offered without complete explanation, can lead to literal lies.
Doublespeak is that intentional gobbledygook meant to obscure rather than enlighten, convoluted details and irrelevant facts simmered together to make mush for the ear. We all know it when we hear it.
A financial consultant related this situation to me about her firm: “We have two boilerplate formats for our reports to clients. When we go into banks and find several ways we can help them, we use the first format. That report gives our findings and list of recommendations right up front. But if we go into banks and can’t find much wrong—we don’t have many recommendations for improvements and have charged them a big fee for the audit—then we use the second boilerplate. We begin the report with background on our company, the credentials of our auditors, the various audit procedures used, and then we finally get around to the findings and recommendations.” She ended with, “But I don’t think we fool anybody.”
She’s right. Purposeful gobbledygook only brings into question one’s intentions.
Is it any wonder we’re such a skeptical population?
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