Editorial
A Culture of Delusion
A writer's greatest disappointments are readers who have knee-jerk responses. Not all readers, of course. Some readers are thoughtful and supportive. Others express thanks for opening their eyes. But the majority are happy when a writer tells them what they want to hear and are unhappy when he writes what they don't want to hear.
For the left-wing, Ronald Reagan is the great bogeyman. Those on the left don't understand supply-side economics as a macroeconomic innovation that cured stagflation by utilizing the impact of fiscal policy on aggregate supply. Instead, they see "trickle-down economics" and tax cuts for the rich. Leftists don't understand that the Reagan administration intervened in Grenada and Nicaragua in order to signal to the Soviets that there would be no more Soviet expansion or client states and that it was time to negotiate the end of the Cold War. Instead, leftists see in Reagan the origin of rule by the one percent and the neoconservatives' wars for US hegemony.
In 1981 curtailing inflation meant collapsing nominal GNP and tax revenues. The result would be budget deficits – anathema to Republicans – during the period of readjustment. Ending the Cold War meant curtailing the military/security complex and raised the specter in conservative circles of "the anti-Christ" Gorbachev deceiving Reagan and taking over the world.
In pursuing his two main goals, Reagan was up against his own constituency and relied on rhetoric to keep his constituency on board with his agenda. The left wing heard the rhetoric but failed to comprehend the agenda.
When I explain these facts, easily and abundantly documented, some of leftish persuasion send in condescending and insulting emails telling me that they look forward to the day that I stop lying about Reagan and tell the truth about Reagan like I do about everything else.
"Knee-jerk liberal" is a favorite term of conservatives. But conservatives can be just as knee-jerk. When I object to Washington's wars, the mistreatment of detainees and the suspension of civil liberties, some on the right tell me that if I hate America so much I should move to Cuba. Many Republicans cannot get their minds around the fact that if civil liberties are subject to the government's arbitrary discretion, then civil liberties do not exist. The flag-waving element of the population is prone to confuse loyalty to the country with loyalty to the government, unless, of course, there's a Democrat in the White House.
Rationally, it makes no sense for readers to think that a writer who would lie to them about one thing would tell them the truth about another. But as long as they hear what they want to hear, it is the truth. If they don't want to hear it, it is a lie.
Both left and right also confuse explanations with justifications.
When a writer writes about the perils that we as a society face and the implications, it is very discouraging for the writer to know that many readers will not listen unless it is what they want to hear. This discouragement is precisely what every truth-teller faces, which is why there are so few of them.
This is one reason I stopped writing a couple of years ago. I found that solid facts and sound analysis could not penetrate brainwashed and closed minds seeking vindication to keep the mind locked tightly against unsettling truths. Americans want to have their beliefs vindicated more than they want the truth. The success of print and TV pundits is based on allying with a prominent point of view or interest group and serving it. Those served make the writer or talking head successful. I never thought much of that kind of success.
But success as a whore is about the only kind of success that can occur in Washington or in the media these days. Those who refuse to prostitute themselves arouse pity and denunciation, not admiration. A couple of years ago an acquaintance from a university in the Northeast called me to say he had recently had lunch with some of my former associates in Washington. When he inquired about me, he said the response was, "Poor Craig, if he hadn't turned critic, he would be worth tens of millions of dollars like us."
I replied that my former associates were undoubtedly correct. My acquaintance said that he hadn't realized that he was having lunch with a bunch of prostitutes.
The incentive to speak the truth and the reward for doing so are very weak. And not just for a writer, but also for academics and experts who can make far more money by lying than by telling the truth. How else would we have got GMOs, jobs offshoring, the "unitary executive" and a deregulated financial system? It is a very lucrative career to testify as an expert in civil lawsuits. It is part of America's romance with the lie that experts purchased by the opposing sides in a lawsuit battle it out as gladiators seeking the jury's thumbs-up.
And look at Congress. The two members of the House who stood up for the Constitution and truth in government will soon be gone. Ron Paul is stepping down and Dennis Kucinich was redistricted out of his seat. As for the Senate, these thoughtful personages recently voted 90-1 to declare war on Iran, as the sole dissenter, Rand Paul, pointed out. The Senate is very much aware, although only a few will publicly admit it, that the US has been totally frustrated and held to a standoff, if not a defeat, in Afghanistan and is unable to subdue the Taliban. Despite this, the Senate wants a war with Iran, a war which could easily turn out to be even less successful. Obviously, the Senate not only lies to the public but also to itself.
Last week the Pentagon chief, Panetta, told China that the new US naval, air, and troop bases surrounding China are not directed at China. What else could be the purpose of the new bases? Washington is so accustomed to lying and to being believed that Panetta actually thinks China will believe his completely transparent lie. Panetta has confused China with the American people: Tell them what they want to hear, and they will believe it.
Americans live in a matrix of lies. They seldom encounter a truthful statement.There is no evidence that Americans can any longer tell the difference between the truth and a lie. Americans fell for all of these lies and more: Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction and al Qaeda connections. Saddam Hussein's troops seized Kuwaiti babies from incubators and threw them on the floor. Gaddafi fed his troops Viagra to help them rape Libyan women. Iran has a nuclear weapons program. Change – yes we can!
The US is "the indispensable country." America is broke because of food stamps and Social Security, not because of wars, bankster bailouts and a failing economy. Russia is America's number one enemy. China is America's number one enemy. Iran is a terrorist state. Jobs offshoring is free trade and good for the US economy. Israel is America's most loyal ally. The US missile shield surrounding Russia is not directed at Russia. The South China sea is an area of US national interest. Financial markets are self-regulating.
The list is endless. Lies dominate every policy discussion, every political decision. The most successful people in America are liars.
The endless lies have created a culture of delusion. And this is why America is lost. The beliefs of many Americans, perhaps a majority, are comprised of lies. These beliefs have become emotional crutches, and Americans will fight to defend the lies that they believe. The inability of Americans to accept facts that are contrary to their beliefs is the reason the country is leaderless and will remain so. Unless scales fall from Americans' eyes, Americans are doomed.
This article originally appeared at www.paulcraigroberts.org, republished here with author's permission (copyright Paul Craig Roberts).
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Posted by Libertarian Jerry on 09/28/12 06:20 AM
Excellent analysis Paul. What you are saying is what I have been saying for years. As Hitler once said,and I paraphrase, "Thank the heavens that people don't think otherwise we wouldn't be in power." What has happened in America is the onslaught of Cultural Marxism. That is where the Collectivists and Elitists create a paradigm for their ideas by controlling Public Education,Aademia,the Main Stream Media,Hollywood,TV and most sources of culture and information. Over 50 years ago I read several books that greatly influenced my worldview. Two of those books were Atlas Shrugged and 1984. Although both of these novels were fiction,what amazes me is that both of their author's prophosies have become today's reality.
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Posted by Don from the Republic of Lakotah on 09/28/12 10:50 AM
Reagan's elocution in "A Time for Choosing" is absolutely spellbinding. Unfortunately, he seems a most typical politician when it comes to action. His belief that "deficits don't matter" mocks me. Reagan and Keynes, both now free of their mortal coil, shackled others with the dirty job of cleaning up their oppressive massive mess.
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Posted by Jeanna on 09/28/12 03:11 PM
Mr. Roberts, thank you for writing this essay. Some of us are listening.
The sin of lying has been reduced to a minor infraction in our society, when God equated it with murder. That is because lies have consequences. People who believe the lie take action based upon that lie, often resulting in financial loss, or even death. The lesson is that anyone who lies to you doesn't care whether you live or die. They are most probably hoping you die.
And those who listen to smooth and easy things, who don't want to analyze or reason through a problem, are trading their independence for slavery. The food stamps and the social security make them slaves who do not need to think, and who willing swallow every lie they are told. It is always about the money. The slaves are just as much whores as those who sell their services to the liars.
So, all of America has become filled with whores.
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Posted by EdwardUlyssesCate on 09/28/12 05:58 PM
"This is one reason I stopped writing a couple of years ago. I found that solid facts and sound analysis could not penetrate brainwashed and closed minds seeking vindication to keep the mind locked tightly against unsettling truths."
and
"The incentive to speak the truth and the reward for doing so are very weak. And not just for a writer, but also for academics and experts who can make far more money by lying than by telling the truth."
Thanks, Craig. That makes at least two of us. That's why my web site hasn't been updated for the last two years. No sense in endlessly repeating ourselves. Turns out it's no more self-sustaining to tell the truth today than when the old 1889 Great Red Dragon book was written, describing the same problems. And there's certainly no joy in being right, either.
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Posted by ccuthbert on 09/29/12 01:50 AM
Libertarian Jerry, there is more truth contained in one classic novel than in an entire academic library. (And you can quote me.) I believe it was TJ who said that we read literature to gain an understanding of the human heart--to which I would add an understanding of the evil hidden there.
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Posted by Rrust on 09/29/12 05:17 AM
CC: "there is more truth contained in one classic novel than in an entire academic library." Very good.
It is the huge economy implicit in that statement that I admire particularly.
I had a similar economy of enlightenment in my first brief conversation with Marshall Fritz, founder of The Alliance for the Separation of School and State, who came up with the classic "You are not paying for education twice if you send your child to a private school. You are paying once for the government indoctrination of other people's children and once for the education of yours. You are not paying for education when you pay taxes."
I miss him. But even since his death a few years ago, circumstances have rendered home schooling a better option than private schooling. The differences between the public and private systems seem to have narrowed.
P C Roberts' short paragraph in this article is a classic: Bravo.
"This is one reason I stopped writing a couple of years ago. I found that solid facts and sound analysis could not penetrate brainwashed and closed minds seeking vindication to keep the mind locked tightly against unsettling truths. Americans want to have their beliefs vindicated more than they want the truth. The success of print and TV pundits is based on allying with a prominent point of view or interest group and serving it. Those served make the writer or talking head successful. I never thought much of that kind of success."
I hope Mr Roberts keeps on writing.
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Posted by eggman90 on 09/29/12 08:11 AM
Mr. Roberts-
I registered for the Daily Bell just to thank you for writing this essay. You always call the shots as you see them. I don't favor either of the mainstream political parties, and have a tough time having non-partisan discussions with friends and associates that want to root for their favorite marionette.
And agree completely on Reagan, a Superhawk, who ended the Cold War with perfectly timed rhetoric, for the cost of a press conference, with no casualties.
Thanks very much.
-John
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Posted by Syren123 on 09/29/12 04:22 PM
Brilliant as always. And please know that there are many of us who ARE listening.
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Posted by rossbcan on 09/29/12 09:02 PM
The truth is: Whatever YOU want, be it money, sex, power, ANYTHING real, there are only THREE ways to get it. You can use force and take it, you can use fraud (lies) and trick people out of it, OR, you can use peaceful, fully informed, mutually, consensusl trade (civilized goal seeking), as enforced by the "rule of law" before predators on the bench rationalized it away:
Click to view link
Using force and fraud to achieve goals are very efficient in the short term, since your victims do the work, until they learn the futility of productivity. Actions have consequences and, we are now in the long term. Prognosis: GRIM:
Click to view link
And, agreed: fuc*ing whores, creating false "realities" and, sheep who "go along, to get along".
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Posted by Bischoff on 09/30/12 03:16 AM
"Americans want to have their beliefs vindicated more than they want the truth."
I quite agree. However, this phenomenon is natural as most people feel threatened in their existence, if the paradigm they hold about the way the world works is shaken by the "truth".
"This is one reason I stopped writing a couple of years ago. I found that solid facts and sound analysis could not penetrate brainwashed and closed minds seeking vindication to keep the mind locked tightly against unsettling truths."
Here, I quite disagree. I can easily argue about the "truth" you hold with facts of my own. To continue to explain the "truth" based on facts using reason and logic, regardless of the reaction by others, that is the challenge.
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Posted by LloydMiller on 09/30/12 08:52 AM
No, Roberts is just good at rhetoric disparaging the thinking of others as an alternative to substantial thinking and analysis of his own.
For instance, he sez: "Jobs offshoring is free trade and good for the US economy." First of all, hardly any Americans believe this. . . only those familiar with the economic arguments for free trade, like the Austrian School, believe this.
A business freely making decisions to move production where costs are the least IS FREE TRADE.
Why do you publish this Statist?
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Posted by LloydMiller on 09/30/12 08:54 AM
Oddly, the expression on Roberts' face expresses the approximate level of his rationality.
Reply from The Daily Bell
No need to insult people, LloydMiller.
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Posted by Libertarian Jerry on 09/30/12 12:37 PM
LloydMiller... ... ... ... .Your statements about Click to view linkbert's opinions are bizarre in the least. You've taken them out of context without reading the whole statement. Click to view linkbert's is criticizing statism and free trade. Your acting as if he is for it? Your comments on Click to view linkbert's facial expression is especially weird. I can only surmise that your a trol just looking for attention.
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Posted by Libertarian Jerry on 09/30/12 12:40 PM
LloydMiller... ... ... ... .Your statements about Click to view linkbert's opinions are bizarre in the least. You've taken them out of context without reading the whole statement. Click to view linkbert's is criticizing statism and free trade. Your acting as if he is for it? Your comments on Click to view linkbert's facial expression is especially weird. I can only surmise that your a trol just looking for attention.
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Posted by DrFun on 09/30/12 03:08 PM
I want to ask Paul Craig Roberts the "Father of Reaganomics" about:
How the Reagan administration nearly tripled the deficit having nothing to do with the collapse of the former U.S.S.R., wasted on Pentagon programs that still can't function as envisioned. While raising taxes 7 out of the 8 years the Reagan administration was in office.Taking the country from being the #1 creditor nation in the world to #1 debtor nation in less than 8 years.
Providing billions of $'s in weapons to Reagan "Freedom Fighters" Saddam Hussein, Osma Bin Laden and Al-CIAda that is no costing the country trillions of $'s and thousandfs of U.S. soldiers lives.
Providing weapons to Iran then exchanging weapons with the Contras for cocaine, who were terrorizing the innocent Nicaraguan people, along with supporting the death squads in El-Salvador and Guatamala.
The liberation of Grenada from a bunch of Cuban manual labors was a "Wag the Dog" after 283 Mariens were killed in Lebanon by a William Casey Inspired truck bomb.
How Reagan's first wife whom he committed adultery with, said "Extreme mental Cruelty" upon learning Reagan was engaged in pre-martial sex resulting in his marrying a 3 month pregnant Nancy. That all debt slave Americans and those who have lost a loved one in the farce War of Terror can now utter this phrase too.Along with whenever Paul Craig Roberts bloviates his hypocricy of opinions that run contrary to his actions of 30 years ago.
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Posted by LloydMiller on 09/30/12 03:19 PM
"Jobs offshoring is free trade and good for the US economy." The preceding quote is of Roberts listing "myths" in which Americans believe. In fact, Americans believe NO SUCH THING. The ability of "off shore" jobs IS PART OF FREE TRADE, a crucial part of freedom of enterprises Stopping offshoring of jobs is a STATIST goal. School of free economics such as the the Chicago and Austrian School teach free trade including offshoring of jobs. NOW DO YOU GET IT? I'll standby my admittedly subjective interpretation of his facial expression!
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Posted by LloydMiller on 09/30/12 03:50 PM
"The US missile shield surrounding Russia is not directed at Russia." Here is another absurdity listed by Roberts as a "lie" Americans believe. A missle "shield" cannot be "directed" AGAINST anyone. A shield prevents successful attack and CANNOT HARM Russia. However, Russia which also has defensive missles, APPARENTLYWANTS TO MAINTAIN its ability to destroy possible enemies with offensive missles and THEREFORE makes the absurd statements that they are "threatened" by defensive missles in Poland, etc.
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Posted by LloydMiller on 09/30/12 03:56 PM
Regarding the defensive missles once planned for Poland and the Czech Republic: In addition to maybe being able to shootdown a few missles, whatever the source, they were to function as a trip wire to trigger US response should Russia try to re-take their Wesern Satellites. Russia OBJECTED to that! Wonder why?
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Posted by Bischoff on 09/30/12 07:58 PM
@ LloydMiller
I agree with you that the statement made by Craig Roberts that, "Jobs offshoring is free trade and good for the US economy", is bunk.
True enough, capital flow follows trade flow, but to send productive jobs oversees, and to replace them with service jobs in the private and government sectors is lunacy.
Only productive jobs in the extractive and manufacturing sectors within an economy produce the wealth which is needed to pay for services. To ship productive jobs overseas requires the borrowing of wealth to pay for services. That's not free trade and it is not good for the U.S. economy.
