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How Does Donald Trump Become The Face Of Lying

Decent Essays

As Hillary Clinton's lead widens, it appears Donald Trump's White House race may be run. Lewd comments about women caught on video may ultimately prove the Republican maverick's undoing, but the influence of his aggressive campaign should not be consigned to history without due analysis.

There are important lessons to be drawn close to home. Trump's act of intentionally and regularly lying has been a pivotal and disturbing part of the campaign. It has been brazen, at times downright scary, and what it represents should be of concern to us all.

Donald Trump has become the face of lying in public office.
Donald Trump has become the face of lying in public office. Photo: Brennan Linsley
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Trump is far from the first politician to utter an untruth. Indeed, his opponent Hilary Clinton has also proven an able manipulator of the truth, notably around her handling of the 'server-gate' scandal.

Australia has not been without its own controversies where truth has been compromised or sacrificed by those on the left and right of politics. The deliberate use of false and misleading assertions is a common tactic among our public figures. The question now, sharpened by Trump's brazen disregard for accuracy and truth, is whether we are willing to put up with this behaviour from our public representatives.

While the media have an important role to play in exposing and reporting such behaviour, it is up to the public to act on this information. There is a worrying sense at present of the public almost shrugging their shoulders as if to say "it's what we expect our leaders to do"; one could even go so far as to suggest that we have reached a point where in some almost voyeuristic sense we now enjoy the spectacle or sport of lying.

We allow this to go on at our peril - it has broader and potentially very damaging …show more content…

One can hardly expect the public to embrace this kind of public pronouncement while they continue to see their politicians going out of their way to mislead, deceive and hide their abuse of expenses, for example, and especially when the behaviour of the same politicians appears to be driven by their own sense of entitlement.

This only fuels a public desire to ensure they too get whatever they think they are entitled to by whatever means - including lying and deception. It becomes a case of 'If they can do it, then why can't I?'. That is hardly a recipe for a stable, peaceful and prosperous society.

There is no silver bullet to stop this problem among our politicians and public figures, but that does not mean we should not try. And if you are searching for the personal motivation to do so, think of it this way: If someone tells you black is white when it's patently black, then why would you accept this? And what does that tell you about their level of respect for

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