Spin - it isn’t just for liars anymore.

A crooked wisdom reader named Ellen recently commented on one of my posts and said, in part:

“...the stuff that you put out and encourage people to think about and comment on is really important in a world where hype and spin is so prevalent.”

While I’m pretty sure I’ve stepped in some truth here and there, more often than not I discovered that what I thought was “the truth”, wasn’t.

Not long ago this type of statement would have left me dancing on my desk. But this time, after I finished dancing, I got down from my desk and felt compelled to take a shower and explain myself. This post is my attempt at the latter.

It isn’t that I don’t appreciate compliments like this - I do - but they always leave me feeling like I’ve pulled one over on my readers.

I have long admired Andre’ Gide’s admonition, “Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.” And while I’ve had my periods of arrogance - and am likely to have a few thousand more - I’m very clear which group I’m in. Hint: it’s not the one that comes with screaming fans and fancy cars.

While I’m pretty sure I’ve stepped in some truth here and there, more often than not I discovered that what I thought was “the truth”, wasn’t. Of course, I didn’t learn this until after I tried to bestow my “genius” upon the world. Take this dammit. It’s good for you!

This doesn’t mean I don’t believe in the existence of, and/or the importance of, facts. I do. In fact, (pun intended), I’m a big fan of them.

But like most of my other heroes - Ayn Rand, Robert Anton Wilson, Groucho Marx, Mighty Mouse, etc. - they are all too human. Or, to be more accurate, they’re only as good as the humans that employ them. Case in point…

We can often “lie” using facts - and only using facts - just as easily as we can lie without them. Stress these facts, ignore those, and voila! We just created a brand new truth.

In the classic film Table for Five, two men, the father and stepfather of three young children, discuss what will happen to the kids now that their mother has died. Will they live with their father or their stepfather?

At one point, the stepfather, a high-priced, cutthroat attorney, threatens to sue for custody and says he will win because he could, “make Mother Theresa look unfit to run a children’s home without telling a single lie.”

And for once, I believe every word a “lawyer” is saying.

My point is, we can often “lie” using facts - and only using facts - just as easily as we can lie without them. Stress these facts, ignore those, and voila! We just created a brand new truth. But it gets worse.

I believe that we - and by “we” I mean all of us, not just “the bad people” - do “lie” using facts every time we open our mouths. I believe it is, by definition, impossible to do otherwise.

Consider this description of “propaganda” from Wikipedia:

Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of large numbers of people. Instead of impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense presents information in order to influence its audience. The most effective propaganda is often completely truthful, but some propaganda presents facts selectively to encourage a particular synthesis, or gives loaded messages in order to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the cognitive narrative of the subject in the target audience.

Pay attention to the two sections I underlined.

First, according to this description one component of propaganda is the intent to influence. Doesn’t that sum up all communication? When we communicate aren’t we doing so for a reason? Even when we’re just shootin’ the shit, giving directions, or making small talk, we’re doing so for a reason. And I say that that reason is to influence something. To have some sort of an effect on a given situation. To change things.

If you don’t believe me, I invite you to prove me wrong by identifying one piece of information a person can communicate without having an intention to influence. Could you do it? I doubt it. But even if you could, would you tell me? If so, why? What would be your intention? Think about that for a moment.

Ultimately, all communication has a purpose and complete communication is impossible. Thus, all communication is spin.

And second, notice that the description says, “...some propaganda presents facts selectively.” I don’t think this is quite accurate. I’d change the wording a bit and say, ”All communication is the presentation of selective facts.” Yes, all. And yes, communication, not just propaganda. Not that there’s much difference, mind you.

As many philosophers, psychologists and other troublemakers have pointed out for years, it is impossible to say everything about anything. Despite our best intentions, when we take an oath to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,” we’re lying.

But that isn’t the problem. The problem is that almost none of us realize this. Instead, we think we’re walking around telling “the truth” when we’re really - at best - just telling a portion of it.

With the exception of my daughter’s best friend, at some point we are all going to shut up and let our words stand for themselves. And the point at which we’ll shut up is the point at which we think we’ve included enough detail to suit our purpose of the communication itself.

Don’t kid yourself; if you make the effort to communicate something, there is a reason for it - even if you don’t know what that reason is.

So why am I telling you all this? No reason.

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Actually there are four things I hope I’ve accomplished by writing this post. Probably more. But here are those I’m aware of:

First, I hope it stretched your mind a bit. But not too much, of course. Believe me, I know what that feels like.

Second, I hope it made you laugh a bit. After all, I take these ideas seriously enough for the both of us so there’s no sense in you losing your mind as well.

I say, if we’re going to spin - and if we’re going to open our mouths we’re going to spin - we might as well be honest about it.

Third, I hope I’ve given you a little more insight into what I’m trying to do around here. While I am very clear that there is a line between truth and bullshit, I’m also clear that the line is always moving and we can never be too sure which side we’re on at any given moment.

And finally, I wanted to make sure Ellen, my reader who inspired this post, didn’t faint when she learned I’m writing a book about the positive aspects of spin. Yes. Spin.

I’m writing this book because I think it is critically important for us to be honest - with ourselves and with each other - about the possibility that our words may not always be as pure and benign as we might like to believe.

Ultimately, all communication has a purpose and complete communication is impossible. Thus, all communication is spin.

And despite the spin we’ve been fed about spin, spin is useful for far more than covering our butts; it can be used - and is already being used - to transform the quality of our lives, past, present, and future.

Those who will not admit this are far more dangerous than those who do. And, those who do not embrace this are far less effective than those who do.

The trouble is, the only ones currently embracing this idea are the scoundrels. While they’re using it to shape the world more to their liking, the rest of us are beating each other over the heads with our truths. But hey, at least we can pat ourselves on the back for being honest, right? Wrong. We can pat ourselves on the back for being ignorant, but somehow that’s not quite as gratifying.

I say, if we’re going to spin - and if we’re going to open our mouths we’re going to spin - we might as well be honest about it.

Of course, I could be wrong about this. In fact, something tells me that one day I’ll be sitting on my back porch scraping this off my shoe with all my other truths. But that’s not such a bad thing; you should see my collection.