Do we LOVE being lied to?

---by Micheal

First was the revelation that the impressive "footsteps" fireworks at the Olympic opening ceremonies were fake. CGI for TV only. Then today comes the revelation that the cute little girl singing at the opening ceremonies was lip-syncing. The real little girl singing was deemed not pretty enough to appear on TV.

Just a few more examples of how we're regularly fed the "pretty lies".

As easy as it would be to rail at the Chinese politicos for such fakery, half the blame has to fall in our own laps. How much do we prefer -- if not demand -- the pretty lie?

A short while back, while listening to NPR's Cokie Roberts, she was gushing all sorts of praise at Obama for his "wonderful" European tour. "Brilliant," she called it. She couldn't hardly get a word out without tripping over another praise. (This is the journalist who favors word spins like Obama is the "presidential hopeful" while McCain is the "presumptive nominee.")

She was talking about a very heavily stage managed string of photo-ops orchestrated by the Obama campaign. It was the same pageantry stuff as the Olympics opening ceremonies. Nothing real. Nothing substantial. Just a big show intended to dazzle. In short, we're being lied to -- given the pretty face to watch and carefully crafted audio to go with it. Some, perhaps many?, like Ms Roberts are buying into the lie, lock stock and barrel.

As we go into the home stretch on the elections (both state and national), do we as voters fall for the pretty lies? Worse yet, do we subtly expect the pretty lies? "Tell me what I want to hear regardless of how impossible it is." Are we semi-consciously demanding that our politicians will be the pretty face, have the soothing voice and promise us a gilded utopia?

One big test for this Pretty Lie Fixation is how you react (inside) if a politician does not promise you your utopia? Do you angrily demand your silk purse, or do you try to figure out what you can do with that sow's ear?

If you demand the pretty lie, you'll get it, but that's all you'll get.