Lying Is Forever

Lots of things in life, no matter how profound or impactful, come and go. Lying is not one of them. If someone is found to tell an untruth, the fall-out never really disappears. The victims may, in a sense, move-on, but rarely do they ever forget that another person purposefully set out to deceive them; trick them in a way that would either put them at a disadvantage or do them harm. In this way, lying leaves a permanent scar. Perhaps this is a good thing  because it serves as a reminder of how profound purposeful deception is. No one likes a liar - and for good reason.


Communication is nothing if not a constant flow of interaction between individuals and publics. If lying between any of those entities occurs, then whatever relationship they may have is forever tainted. The one found to be the liar forever bares the cross of lacking credibility. Once lost, being seen as credible is virtually impossible to regain. Further, when one is viewed as lacking credibility, their ability to communicate as effectively as they might wish or need to is also gone. In the oft-times imperfect world of communication, being credible is what, ultimately, keeps one afloat even during those times when their efforts do not succeed. So long as one is viewed as a teller-of-truth, then their ability to fully participate in communication wars remains viable.


Very recently, the automaker Volkswagen was found to be willfully lying to its customers and the general public regarding its efforts to adhere to emissions standards. Beginning with its 2009 model, the company purposefully installed software designed to cheat emissions tests. To compound its deplorable behavior, the company only admitted its act of deception when the Environmental Protection Agency threatened not to certify VW's models for sale after its own investigations of the manufacturer's faulty software. The result is a major company without credibility. In the coming months and even years, it will be interesting to see what steps VW does to try and regain what it has lost.