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Thursday 19 October 2017

Money and lies

What are the greatest powers among men on this earth? Some will say the pen, or the sword, or love, or what not. Men of the world will say, money and lies; and they will be very nearly right.

Arthur Morrison – The Red Triangle (1903)


It may be a throwaway line by a fictional character, but it isn’t easy to think of a more cynically cogent take on the reality of power.

5 comments:

Scrobs. said...

'Money and lies' - the psyche of your average politician...

Anonymous said...

A lie is around the world before the truth has got its boots on.

The trouble is that a lie or even 'a different interpretation of the facts' to use a lawyer's term takes an inordinate amount of time and effort to unravel. Even when proved those who put out the lie almost never get called out. This sort of thing represents an asymmetrical cost which I think should be evened up.

My cure is that every lie or mis spoken statement from a politician or public servant requires the miscreant to eat dog excrement on public television and we might usefully include their lawyer and spokesperson as well.

James Higham said...

Follow the money, expect the lies.

Demetrius said...

He was fibbing. It is the ability to kick and head a football.

A K Haart said...

Scrobs - it is and much of it is our fault for electing them.

Roger - that's an interesting solution but yes you are right, the asymmetrical cost of it needs to be rectified.

James - or follow the lies and expect the money.

Demetrius - or be the agent for those who can.