Richard Fernandez at the Belmont Club has an interesting take on why liars lie, and what the price is for lying. The aging man with the still coal black hair pays a price in trying to keep his face as young as his hair; the politician must devote ever more time and energy into keeping the lie straight lest he be caught out; and even if never caught, the lie cheapens the prize the lie was told for. Used car salesmen and lawyers face great obstacles in getting people to believe them, because the public has come to associate them with telling less than the truth. Your grandmother was right: tell the truth and sleep soundly in your bed at night.

 

 

The blacker the hair the blacker the heart

The wider the smile the same

The silvery the tongue the silvery the hair

Politicos all play the game

To say that they lie is to not tell the truth

For truth is a slippery slope

Where slopes run downhill in direction of change

And up in direction of hope

It’s all in intent if intent is to lie

In which case we’ll know that it’s true

If when he is caught he will whimper and cry

And blame it all on you know who

But love them or hate them we need them because

Without them we’d know not of sin

We’d know not of crimes that should give us all pause

We’d know not that silvery spin

Is needed to lighten the darkening hair

To temper the brilliant white smile

They all look terrific and just to be fair

They look better when in durance vile