America has always had a complicated relationship with the truth. From the Vietnam War to the Iraq War, from swiftboating to birtherism to “alternative facts,” and, of course, the whitewashed versions of history being taught in our schools, truth is in the mind of the beholder.
While we have a long history of loose and varied interpretations of the truth, we’ve entered an extremely dangerous period where we celebrate, reward and elect some who are openly working to dismantle the truth.
Manipulating the truth goes by many names like “taken out of context,” “misspeaking,” “spinning” and “misinterpretation,” terms that indicate how subtle and acceptable it can be to chip away at what’s true. This practice has been a basic fundamental tool in business and politics for centuries. But every fracture of the truth weakens our trust as citizens, laying the groundwork for division, loss of faith in our institutions and principles, and the need to seek out alternative answers and guidance that better fit a specific narrative.
