A Nation of Liars

2010-03-07 David "Cat" Cohen What happened to the hopes and dreams of the year 2008? Have they been replaced by something far less in 2009?

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2009-12-07T17:29:37+00:00

11 true 2009-12-07 2010-03-07 false  A NATION OF LIARS   By Cat Cohen If 2008 was the year of hopes and dreams and historic change, it seems to me that 2009 has become the year of lies and hoaxes.  Not that I am accusing political dreamers like Obama as well as those of us who voted for change of turning away from our sincere desire for the world to manifest a new direction.  However, I am appalled at what has followed in the wake of this sincere and obviously naïve effort to right so many wrongs all at once.   It took two words “You Lie” that were uttered in rude protest in the middle of a presidential address to Congress to reveal what is brewing in our country today, a disturbing trend of blatant dishonesty.  That knee jerk utterance of disrespect from a South Carolinian congressman had no more basis in truth than a governor from the same state’s assertion that he was absent from office to hike on an Appalachian trail when he was fooling around in Argentina.  Or a young boy’s fame-chasing parents’ false cry for help that their son was high in the air in the Colorado skies onboard what was found to be a duct-taped balloon.   Or the dishonest screams and shouts of rabid agenda followers from both extreme right and left sides of the political spectrum at so many town hall meetings and tea parties.   Or cable TV and radio commentators blurting out bald assertions of untruth about what they disagree with in such stark black-and-white descriptions as to offend anyone’s common sense and sensitivity.  Or commercials for health insurance that warn of death panels and socialized government takeover nightmares on one side or free health care for everyone without any new costs on the other.  Or reality shows that have become so unreal and so grotesque that you want to kick them off the island.  Or myths of family life like “Father Knows Best” morphing into Jon and Kate Goslins ”Whoever Lies and Lawyers Up Best” or the Octomom’s insane portayal of maternal love as ”Whomever Propagates Best”.  Or the rampant entertainment hoaxes that have sprung from the well of Jerry Springer-like clone shows with staged accusations of depravity as obviously false as televised wrestling matches?   All this misinformation is for what purpose?  For shock and awe, for fame and fortune, for ranting and ratings, for career advancement and enhancement?  Where once women complained about men behaving badly, I now protest against a nation behaving madly as it rewards liars and illusionists and extremists with prime time exposure and news headlines, and yes, wealth beyond comprehension for what?  Even our new age heroes show themselves to have worse than clay feet as they hide from the truth of their mistakes out of economic and personal self-interest preaching inner strength while exhibiting outer cowardice.   Where is Diogenes and his cadre of creative expressionists when we need him?  A few years ago when we fought the wrong war against a trumped up enemy that we were lied to about, I encouraged songwriters and other communicators to become truth tellers and expose the misdeeds.  Now we fight a real war with a real enemy and, like after hearing the boy who cried wolf too many times, we are shell shocked into wanting to run away from the real danger.  With so many falsehoods in our midst, it’s no wonder.  I encourage today’s artists and writers to expose this new age of misinformation and perpetrators of mistrust for what this is, lies,  and who are they are, liars. Cat Cohen Tell me what you think.  If you have an article for the Songwriters’ Soapbox <a href="/website/contact">submit it to me</a>        A Nation of Liars

2009-12-13T11:42:56+00:00