We as a society are bathing in the lies we are told - from all directions. From advertising to politics to industry and business. Everywhere I turn I see it and it is frightening how easy it is for them to tell the lies and for us to believe them.
In advertising it can start as a little lie. A mascara commercial claims that you will have longer fuller lashes but look closely. 9 times out of 10 there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen stating that the lashes are a dramatization. What does that mean? Just that the lashes probably fake - stuck on or computer enhanced but they are not real. Now it's up to us. Is this a harmless little white lie, or is this the first step on a very slippery slope.
In Canada we have advertising standards. It ensures that there is 'truth' in advertising. It regulates advertising so that we are not 'lied' to. We may not be flat out lied to but we are certainly deceived. One such scam is life insurance. THere is currently an ad on television for a Canadian Insurance Company. It is clearly aimed at the elderly. It preys on guilt the elderly would feel if they were to leave any debts or financial responsibilities to their family should they pass. They claim that no one is turned down and you don't need a medical. What they fail to tell you that in the province of Ontario underwriting is legal. What this means is that if you die of a 'pre-existing condition' they do not have to pay your policy. They don't give you an exam and in order to cover the small 'oversight' on their part they add a clause that allows them not have to pay out if you say have diabetes and die due to ANY condition that could be linked to that condition. If it is determined that you did die from a pre-existing condition your 'loved ones' will not receive payment on the policy but will reimburse your premiums. I can't even say they would guarantee that and given the opportunity I am sure the insurance company would also choose to keep the premiums.
But the lies don't end there.
7 years ago we bought our first house in Hamilton. When we moved in a few of our neighbours pointed out that there were lead pipes leading to most of the homes. They suggested that we get our water tested to see if there were any issues with the water. We called the city and they confirmed that our pipe was in fact lead and would test our water for free. Some weeks later we received a letter from the lab stating that there were high traces of lead in the water and that we should not drink it. We called the city and told them. We replaced our pipe (out of our pocket) leading to the house. Once that was done an inspector came to confirm that we had done our part before the city would replace their part. When we told the city rep about the report we received and that we shouldn't drink the water he became belligerent. He said the water was just fine to drink and that he did not believe the letter we received stated that. I knew why he was acting this way. Deniability. As long as they admit no knowledge of wrong doing they cannot be liable for any damage done.
Something similar happened to my mother-in-law. She kept having floods in her basement because the pipes would back up from the streets. It wasn't just her, it was her entire street. Rather than admitting that it was the pipes and replacing them the city continued to patch them up. My mother-in-law's basement flooded a half a dozen times before the city would do anything about it. They agreed to replace the main on her street. They gave each resident $2,000 but forced them to each sign a document stating that upon accepting this deal they would also agree not to sue the city. Left with no other choice my mother-in-law signed. The money didn't even cover all of her deductibles she had to pay over the years. To top it all off she was told by her insurance company that if she was to have another flood she would no longer be covered.
Even the people who sold us our house lied to us. When we purchased our home the previous home owner signed a document stating that there were no water leakage issues in the basement that they were aware of. They seemed like a nice couple so we believed them. Between the time we bought the house and took possession the homeowners called us to say they had a flood but swore this had never happened before and would look after it. We took them at their word. A month or 2 later we took possession of the home. That winter was very cold and the ground froze solid. We had frequent freeze and thaw which resulted in quite a bit of water on the ground. We immediately started getting floods practically every week. My husband discovered that the previous homeowners had covered up a large hole in the wall with drywall so the inspector did not see it. We also discovered that there some serious leaks in the crawlspace. We had flood after flood. It became quite apparent to us that the nice old couple we bought our home from had lied. I know we could have gone to our lawyer to get them to pay for the repair but by the time we finished paying the lawyer it would be cheaper to just fix it ourselves - a fact I am sure this couple was fully aware of.
All of these lies - little white lies to the big whale is for one reason - money. There was once a day that your character held more value than your bank account. I miss those days when a handshake or a person's word was enough but that is no longer the case. It seems even a contract won't hold someone to their word if they can find a way to weasel their way out of it. Sometimes it seems that we are powerless to do anything about this but there is. Don't buy products that are dishonest about their results. Write to them via their website and tell them that you are choosing not to buy their product because it is being misrepresented in advertising. Be aware and vigilant when you are purchasing insurance. Don't back down to the bureaucracy when they tell you they won't pay. My mother-in-law may have been forced to sign that document but up to that point she fought tooth and nail just to get that much. She called her city rep every day until he did something about it. Let people know that you have caught them in a lie. Whether or not they deny it they will know that you are onto them. Another way to fight this epidemic is to continue to be honest yourself in your personal life and your business life. I know that when I feel i haven't been completely honest with someone I feel guilt. I can carry that guilt for years and it eats away at me. It makes me realize that the lie or the deception may have benefited me in the short term but in the long run it does more damage.
I don't usually take this tone with my blog. I don't like to be on a soap box but this is something I feel very strongly about. I feel like this is a slippery slope that could lead to our detriment. I think if we are vigilant and aware of the current climate we can avoid it getting worse. We can stop the envelope from being pushed any further. We can say enough is enough. Maybe this is just my own paranoia, maybe I am right on the nose. What I do know is that I could definitely use a little more truth in my life.
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