Are you a liar?
I am. I lie continually.
I am like that Jim Carrey character who lies so much he is forced to spend a whole day telling the truth.
Lying, whether it be stretching the truth or a bald faced porky pie is an important skill.
Federal opposition leader Tony Abbott has established that he is a compulsive liar. According to Abbott things can be said in the heat of the moment that aren’t true. So if they aren’t true they are lies.
And that’s OK because it happened in the heat of the moment.
With professional and ethical integrity undervalued in corporate life, media, politics, the clergy and sports Abbott has simply told the truth.
The truth, that’s your version or my version, doesn’t matter anymore.
We’re evolving as a species to appreciate and respect passion over integrity.
“Bob lied when he said he would do the dishes!”
“Yes, but he was really passionate about it at the time. He really thought he would do the dishes.”
“That’s OK then.”
Substitute doing the dishes with paying a bill, being faithful, picking the kids up from school and the absurdity is made clear.
A community requires guidelines about trust that help build relationships and made sure everyone can get what they need.
A community that celebrates Tony Abbott for finally telling it how it is, is deeply flawed.
Passion is no excuse for deception.