Honesty isn't Always the Best Policy

It is sad but true.  “The most essential skill in political theater and a consumer culture is artifice.”  This quote taken from Chris Hedges’ Empire of Illusion,  exposes a sad reality of our society and culture today.  Now I do not think that all the people and companies in this field want to have to use artifice.  It is just that they have discovered that in order to stay competitive in the fields - they must. The honest people seem to be no match for the ones who are being deceptive and telling the people what they want to hear.  Politicians say that they will be able to reduce taxes and increase spending on road repairs all at the same time during their campaign. The people, undestantably, are in great support of this, and elect this politician into office.  I mean who does not like lowered taxes and fixed roads - especially in a place like Michigan, with our terrible roads. And the honest politician who said that he or she would improve the roads but would have to increase taxes, loses the election.  Once the politician who used artifice, gets into office, reality hits, and you can’t reduce taxes and then spend more on roads. But artifice got the politician into office, which was the main goal. So sadly in order to be competitive against politicians like this, even honest politicians are forced to use artifice as well to remain a contender for office.