Comfortable Lies in the USA

Taken from the article at HumanAreFree we have a long list of lies most americans accept as true.

Here is the opening article:

Have you noticed the incredible detachment from reality exhibited by the masses these days?

The continued operation of modern society, it seems, depends on people making sure they don't acknowledge reality (or try to deal with it). "Denial" is what keeps every sector of civilization humming along: medicine, finance, government, agriculture and more.

The trouble with the denial approach is that eventually the lies collide with reality. Until that day comes, however, happy-go-lucky Americans are merrily enjoying their courtship with self delusion, repeating the following 37 lies to themselves as if they were true:

I cannot agree with this more!
The conspiracies and lies being fed to us seem to always take second stage to life. Of course almost all of us are guilty of this, we are dependent on a system that is dependent on another system, control. With respect to not sound like Morpheus from The Matrix, I have to stress just because these things are presented as true doesn't mean we are being fattened up for consumption by 'evil' robots or TPTB. In a lot of proceeding cases there are just too many variables at play to give reason why things get accepted the way they do in our society today.

Here is the list they present: (some of them are downright stupid)

Lie #1) All FDA-approved medications are safe to consume in any combination, because the FDA protects the public.

Lie #2) Food prices keep going up because inflation is a natural force that can't be halted.

Lie #3) The mainstream media is telling me the truth when it reports on world events.

Lie #4) Chemical food additives are tested for their safety before being widely used across the food supply.

Lie #5) We can all pump groundwater out of the ground forever, and it will never run out.

Lie #6) We can also pump fossil fuels out of the ground forever, and they will never run out, either. Why worry?

Lie #7) If anything bad happens in terms of a national emergency or natural disaster, the government will take care of me.

Lie #8) It doesn't matter where my food comes from as long as it's cheap and delicious.

Lie #9) GMOs must be safe to eat because a bunch of scientists paid by the biotech industry all tell each other that GMOs are safe and therefore have reached "scientific consensus."

Lie #10) Government debt doesn't matter because the government can simply create more money any time they want.

Lie #11) Mercury in vaccines must be safe to inject into children, otherwise the CDC and FDA wouldn't allow it to be used in vaccines.

Lie #12) Organic produce is a waste of money. I'll buy conventional produce treated with pesticides and herbicides because the cost of all the cancer treatments I'll need 20 years later will be covered by Obamacare anyway.

Lie #13) The history taught to children in public schools is a true and accurate history. Columbus was best friends with the Indians, too!

Lie #14) Swallowing fluoride chemicals is good for babies and children, and that's why cities put fluoride into public water supplies.

Lie #15) Flu shots prevent the flu. That's why the package inserts for flu vaccines openly state there is no scientific evidence to support any conclusion that influenza vaccines prevent influenza.

Lie #16) Whatever is backed by "science" must be true. Science is never falsified by corrupt scientists or corporate agendas, and scientific conclusions are never wrong.

Lie #17) The global ecosystem can handle unlimited human pollution without any negative consequences. We can all continue to dump unlimited toxins into the environment.

Lie #18) Cell phone radiation is harmless. The reason we know that is because the cell phone companies hired scientists to say so.

Lie #19) If everybody else is doing something, it must be the right thing to do. After all, how could so many people be wrong?

Lie #20) We don't need to store food for emergencies because there will always be more food available at the grocery store.

Lie #21) There's no need to be concerned about Ebola or other infectious diseases in America because the vaccine companies can always and instantly create a new vaccine that works 100% of the time, with zero side effects.

Lie #22) Local police departments need battlefield military weapons, armored cars and body armor because the drug war demands it.

Lie #23) If I buy something at Whole Foods, it must be healthy and free from contaminants like toxic heavy metals. (Or is it really?)

Lie #24) My vote really counts in national elections. We live in a democracy where the People have power over the government.

Lie #25) My checking and savings accounts are perfectly safe no matter what happens because my bank is FDIC insured.

Lie #26) Raw dairy products are dangerous and deadly because the FDA told me so. Those horrible farmers selling raw dairy products should be locked away in prison.

Lie #27) My oncologist recommends chemotherapy treatment for me only because he cares about my wellbeing, not because his clinic sells the chemotherapy drugs at a huge profit.

Lie #28) The government isn't secretly recording my phone calls or reading my emails. Why would they? I've done nothing wrong!

Lie #29) Commercial dog food is healthy and nutritious for dogs. Dog treats made in China are also trustworthy and free from contaminants like lead.

Lie #30) The only way to prevent infectious disease is with a vaccine. Vitamin D and healthy immune support have nothing to do with it.

Lie #31) After I pay off my house, I own it free and clear. (Think again: Property taxes mean you're only "leasing" it from the county. Stop paying those taxes and you'll find out very quickly who really owns your home.)

Lie #32) Google will do no evil, and the fact that the company is developing humanoid battlefield robots, autonomous drones and super-human quantum computing brain chips is nothing to worry about.

Lie #33) Cancer is caused entirely by bad luck (or smoking) and has nothing to do with the food I eat or chemicals in my personal environment.

Lie #34) The radiation release from Fukushima wasn't that bad. Sure, it was many times larger than the Chernobyl disaster, but authorities say we have nothing to worry about.

Lie #35) Autism isn't caused by vaccines, and the way we know is because the CDC scientist who admitted to a massive conspiracy of scientific fraud to bury the evidence linking vaccines to autism should not be believed.

Lie #36) All foods certified as "organic" are automatically free of toxic heavy metals and contaminants.

Lie #37) Human civilization is the only intelligent civilization in the entire galaxy. Anything else would simply be too scary to contemplate.

Well that is their list, many on it I agree with, some I am indifferent to and others are just stupid or variations. I'd like to hear others not included on this list that ATS users have frequented. Personally, some of my favorites have to deal with Obama, the moon landing and religion. Regardless of your stance though, it's getting harder every day to see through all the BS, especially on the Web.

What do you think, AB

Basically just about every one of those points can be summed up as such: Don't trust anyone but yourself implicitly. I agree too, people lie and the more people you trust the more exposed you get to people willing to take advantage of your trust. Sounds pessimistic I know, but reality isn't so nice.

I, for one, think it's an excellent thread. Lie #13 - #19, with special attention to Lie #24 are all really big ones that resonate with me, as in I never can believe this information goes over with people, and seems just generally accepted. The alarming thing about this is if it were all realized by the genpop, would things just keep chugging along the way they seem to?

Is the only remedy revolution? Would that even change things?
tetra50
eta: I think there's a lot of doublespeak, at the very least, that goes on with information release. Surely most know this. You must learn to read between the lines, or know that there is much symbolic information attached to "facts," causing an information disconnect…..
so that something said today, can really mean the opposite of what it appears to mean….
Having said that, nothing I said above, nor ever post here, for that matter, is written with that intent, nor attachment. But it pays to be clear.

a reply to: AnteBellum

I'm from the U.S. and I can tell you that most of these are ridiculous and are not "Comfortable Lies" by any means. This is just a list of BS that someone wrote up attacking Americans like we're fools.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
Basically just about every one of those points can be summed up as such: Don't trust anyone but yourself implicitly. I agree too, people lie and the more people you trust the more exposed you get to people willing to take advantage of your trust. Sounds pessimistic I know, but reality isn't so nice.

True, but some of them are not even lies. Like #1 for example. The FDA makes no such claim and even warns about combination of medications.

a reply to: AnteBellum


Starred and flagged just for the pic.

Lie #3) The mainstream media is telling me the truth when it reports on world events.

this is probably applicable to 90% of the population.

Lie #13) The history taught to children in public schools is a true and accurate history. Columbus was best friends with the Indians, too!

"Columbus" may in fact be a fictional character !!

Lie #22) Local police departments need battlefield military weapons, armored cars and body armor because the drug war demands it.

But mostly used against regular demonstrators.

Lie #25) My checking and savings accounts are perfectly safe no matter what happens because my bank is FDIC insured.

Until somebody decides otherwise.

a reply to: OptimusCrime

I have to unwillingly agree and to most that know me, it may sound crazy!
(#31) Stands out to me, I think some are confused about it but it is true to a degree, if you don't pay your taxes watch what happens next!


a reply to: NavyDoc

Was the reason I started the thread, because this is ridiculous I have never seen/read/heard that anywhere. Made the whole report suspect and thus alludes to my motives of presenting this to ATS. It's all in the wording they used. . .

originally posted by: OptimusCrime
a reply to: AnteBellum

I'm from the U.S. and I can tell you that most of these are ridiculous and are not "Comfortable Lies" by any means. This is just a list of BS that someone wrote up attacking Americans like we're fools.

As I drive on the highways and byways of this great land and encounter the other drivers on the road, watch television and what passes for entertainment, listen to top 40 radio music, view the political climate and watch the unbridled obscene consumerism coupled with the waste generated, healthcare for profit, never ending pointless wars....

Americans are fools!!!

originally posted by: olaru12

originally posted by: OptimusCrime
a reply to: AnteBellum

I'm from the U.S. and I can tell you that most of these are ridiculous and are not "Comfortable Lies" by any means. This is just a list of BS that someone wrote up attacking Americans like we're fools.

As I drive on the highways and byways of this great land and encounter the other drivers on the road, watch television and what passes for entertainment, listen to top 40 radio music, view the political climate and watch the unbridled obscene consumerism coupled with the waste generated.....

Americans are fools!!!

I think you have a negative outlook and to call all Americans fools is pretty short sighted to be honest with you.

a reply to: AnteBellum

"The trouble with the denial approach is that eventually the lies collide with reality. Until that day comes, however, happy-go-lucky Americans are merrily enjoying their courtship with self delusion."

So my question is how years is acceptable when there is no collision between lie and reality. that we call it truth or a reasonable facsimile there of?

As far as the list of lies they propose, if you believe any of those I don't know if that person is capable of understanding the truth. I thought it was common knowledge your cell phone would make one ear larger anyway.

originally posted by: OptimusCrime

originally posted by: olaru12

originally posted by: OptimusCrime
a reply to: AnteBellum

I'm from the U.S. and I can tell you that most of these are ridiculous and are not "Comfortable Lies" by any means. This is just a list of BS that someone wrote up attacking Americans like we're fools.

As I drive on the highways and byways of this great land and encounter the other drivers on the road, watch television and what passes for entertainment, listen to top 40 radio music, view the political climate and watch the unbridled obscene consumerism coupled with the waste generated.....

Americans are fools!!!

I think you have a negative outlook and to call all Americans fools is pretty short sighted to be honest with you.

Negative outlook??? who me?

Don't worry I included myself as a fool for putting up with the , economic, political, aesthetic BS that epitomizes what America currently stands for....a perfect example of cultural planed obsolescence.

We used to make steel in this country....now we make happy meals!

Going from a manufacturing/exporting powerhouse, to a service oriented economy.....that just brilliant, right?

originally posted by: NavyDoc

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
Basically just about every one of those points can be summed up as such: Don't trust anyone but yourself implicitly. I agree too, people lie and the more people you trust the more exposed you get to people willing to take advantage of your trust. Sounds pessimistic I know, but reality isn't so nice.

True, but some of them are not even lies. Like #1 for example. The FDA makes no such claim and even warns about combination of medications.

I think the idea is that these are more rationalizations that people tell themselves so they don't have to face the reality of the situation (that it isn't as safe as they'd like to believe). Rationalizations are usually lies and in the case of the article are all lies (as they are told from a maximum standpoint and nothing is 100% effective or safe). I don't think the article was trying to show OFFICIAL lies that are told to placate the nation.

originally posted by: olaru12

originally posted by: OptimusCrime
a reply to: AnteBellum

I'm from the U.S. and I can tell you that most of these are ridiculous and are not "Comfortable Lies" by any means. This is just a list of BS that someone wrote up attacking Americans like we're fools.

As I drive on the highways and byways of this great land and encounter the other drivers on the road, watch television and what passes for entertainment, listen to top 40 radio music, view the political climate and watch the unbridled obscene consumerism coupled with the waste generated, healthcare for profit, never ending pointless wars....

Humans are fools!!!

Fixed that for you.

This is what I saw after I started reading through the list:

Lie #1) Big Pharma
Lie #2) NWO
Lie #3) Media Bias
Lie #4) NWO/Think Green PSA
Lie #5) Think Green PSA
Lie #6) Think Green PSA
Lie #7) NWO
Lie #8) GMO/Consumerism
Lie #9) GMO/Consumerism
Lie #10) NWO
Lie #11) Big Pharma
Lie #12) GMO/Consumerism
Lie #13) NWO
Lie #14) NWO/Think Green PSA
Lie #15) Big Pharma
Lie #16) Science/Consumerism
Lie #17) Think Green PSA
Lie #18) Science/Consumerism
Lie #19) NWO
Lie #20) NWO
Lie #21) Big Pharma
Lie #22) NWO
Lie #23) GMO/Consumerism
Lie #24) NWO
Lie #25) NWO
Lie #26) GMO/Consumerism
Lie #27) Big Pharma
Lie #28) NWO
Lie #29) Nationalism/Consumersim
Lie #30) Big Pharma
Lie #31) NWO/Banking
Lie #32) NWO
Lie #33) GMO/Consumerism
Lie #34) Media Bias
Lie #35) Big Pharma
Lie #36) GMO/Consumerism
Lie #37) Science/Religion

I rushed a bit so I might be off here and there.

A few of those are not lies because the way they're worded, nobody actually claims that. However in every case they could be worded differently to be just as damaging a comment (e.g. regardless of the 'amount and combination', the annual kill numbers from legal medications is very high).

The problem with the list is an authoring issue; they were attempting to both use it to make a point in one way, and also use it to provide education in another way, which forced some ludicrousness into the points themselves. A better way to do it, would have been to make the simple point, which might sound reasonable even, and then have a separate entry note explaining' why that seemingly reasonable point is actually something that should not be believed at all.

I didn't know that about Google. However my feelings on them is that they are lovely right now... until they are taken over and then all my history, email and docs and stuff will be pwned by some source I probably don't like alas...

It would have been helpful to have some kind of reference when something specific was referred to, so people could don't-say-google for more. (The number of people who die from legally prescribed drugs. The name of the CDC scientist who claimed vaccine conspiracy. That sort of thing.)

There are some pretty massive things they missed in terms of the likely doom of local future. The takeover of the seeds industry, not to mention terminator seeds (which will someday be too-closely related to the former which means here), the issues with groundwater as well as its ownership, the issues with dietary recommendations based on little to do with human health and achieving the opposite especially for the very people most needing its help (e.g. diabetics), and with chemistry-design of addictive unfoods (both of which lead to much of the population 'dying off lucratively-slowly'), the issue of profound and visible fraud in so-called science related to some of the most powerful health-keeping/saving things (such as high-dose ascorbic acid), and many more I'm sure.

I don't really have dispute with any on the list except written/exampled poorly. Even in those cases, the topic itself is enough of an issue in general it's probably still worth including.

Most people think that to believe any let alone all of these things would be a conspiracy theory. But that is a drama queen exaggeration really, because nearly all of these things are simply a matter of the mercenary elements and natural collusion tendencies of business, especially global business, especially industries which have long since captured their own regulating agencies in our country.

Business by its nature is, in fact, an intentional plan to present things as well as possible (cover up negative, skew things, hire 'experts' who will support you, mis-present positives), to close out competitors (including by collusive business practices, from the 1986 Supreme Court case saying the AMA basically behaved like the mafia toward chiropractry, to the everpresent "cola wars" situation in so many areas, to joining others in industry to leverage against media), to befriend those who are contributive to your well-being even if they are competitors or regulators (eventually all agency-officials are sourced from industry, and get a sort of golden parachute back into industry after their agency term is up, giving them profound conflicts of interest on a few levels), and of course to make as much money as possible (which opens a nearly infinite spectrum of deviousness in products and services). These things are not 'conspiracy' outside of the issue that high-dollar business is, implicitly, intentional conspiracy for its own good, both directly and indirectly.

RC

originally posted by: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: NavyDoc

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
Basically just about every one of those points can be summed up as such: Don't trust anyone but yourself implicitly. I agree too, people lie and the more people you trust the more exposed you get to people willing to take advantage of your trust. Sounds pessimistic I know, but reality isn't so nice.

True, but some of them are not even lies. Like #1 for example. The FDA makes no such claim and even warns about combination of medications.

I think the idea is that these are more rationalizations that people tell themselves so they don't have to face the reality of the situation (that it isn't as safe as they'd like to believe). Rationalizations are usually lies and in the case of the article are all lies (as they are told from a maximum standpoint and nothing is 100% effective or safe). I don't think the article was trying to show OFFICIAL lies that are told to placate the nation.

Well, when you put it that way, it makes more sense. However, the way the article is written, it seems as if they are suggesting exactly that their are official lies being told. They could have worded that better, IMHO, but I'd suggest that they did that on purpose to make it seem more...salacious.

Looking at the list, a lot are self rationalizations or ignorant positions. A few could come from MSM or official sources, but some still are really just opinions. Just because one has a different opinion than the article's author does not make him either self-deceptive nor lied to. What's to say that the author of the article is not lying to himself on a few of those claims?

The author seems to be coming form the position of "I'm right and you're wrong, idiot" with more than one of those points.

Certainly there are many that are valid like the FDA one...that is a misconception that a lot of physicians fight with all of the time and the one about "Organic" does not necessarily mean completely safe--that's a valid point that even Penn and Teller got into. However,a couple are really just opinions.

I saw a couple that were outright falsehoods and a few big contradictions.

a reply to: NavyDoc

I actually agree with you on this ND...(rare indeed)....those that come out and broadly proclaim that Americans are self-delusional, have not taken into consideration that most Americans are trying to get by with the hand that has been dealt to them. there are many pitfalls throughout life, most people pick themselves up, and try and make the best of it. we all try to carve out our own little niche that makes life more bearable. being happy or positive does not mean you are ignorant nor misinformed.

a reply to: NavyDoc

Possibly. I imagine his point would have been better received if he hadn't of adopted the holier than thou attitude. He certainly did have a fair point. Though he neglected that many people actually DO recognize that on some level what they are doing isn't 100% safe or effective but they rationalization are making is that it can't happen to them. Though you could then have an argument about if the lies in the article and the above rationalization are the same thing (does someone REALLY believe that something isn't 100% effective if they believe nothing bad will happen to them if they do it?). Though what might have been and what we have appears to be two separate things.

Rereading the list, there are few on the list that are designed to push conspiracy theories (fluoride in water, GMO's, vaccines, etc). So take that with what you will. I'm sure there is some deception going on with those topics, but I don't think it warrants the tin foil hat.

a reply to: AnteBellum

S&F, great list. I especially like #37 - the human ego knows no bounds.

A very generic item I think should be on anyone's list is when someone says... "You know, they say..." and lead into some adage or what they think is a universally known fact.

My response is always - "Who are they and why are you listening to them?"

Another good one is the lie (variations) - "That will never happen in America."

Also, I think #22 should be changed to or at least added to:
Lie #22) Local police departments need battlefield military weapons, armored cars and body armor because the war on terrorism demands it.