I started writing this article months ago, set it aside, and have finally returned to finish it. Somehow, it feels appropriate to release it now.
What Is Truth If It Is No Longer Relevant?
If you’re like me, you’ve likely heard that Mark Zuckerberg decided fact-checking is no longer a priority because it allegedly causes “political bias.” In pursuit of “free speech,” Facebook will remove filters—even if the posts are bold-faced lies.
At what point do we say, enough is enough? Have we sunk so low that living in a fantasy world is acceptable? When did truth stop having relevance in society?
“The rules are simple: they lie to us, we know they’re lying, they know we know they’re lying, but they keep lying to us, and we keep pretending to believe them.” — Elena Gorokhova, A Mountain of Crumbs
I was raised to believe that telling the truth is honor-bound, no matter the cost. Cheating was lying. Lying had consequences; truth had rewards. Yet somehow, in today’s world, lies are celebrated, and truth feels poisoned.
Truth at Work and Life
We expect honesty in our workplaces:
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“I finished the project, sorry it took longer, but we will improve.”
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“The customer is my top priority; I’ll work day and night to meet deadlines.”
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“You’re doing a great job; we value your talents.”
Lying has consequences; dishonesty breeds distrust, and distrust leads to failure. So why do we tolerate lies?
Why People Lie
Research by Brett Beasley and Christopher Adkins (University of Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership) shows:
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The brain becomes desensitized to lying over time.
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People start with small lies, testing boundaries.
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Without consequences, lies escalate.
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Anxiety around lying decreases, making it easier to lie repeatedly.
In short, lying can become neurologically reinforced, detached from guilt or moral restraint.
Why We Believe Lies
Even when truth is right in front of us, we often choose the lie. Grant Hilary Brenner, MD, DFAPA, explains in Psychology Today (2022):
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We accept information that supports our narrative.
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We accept information aligned with our desired outcomes.
Deception helps us maintain a sense of self and imagine optimistic futures, even when reality is harsh.
Beth Anne Helgason and Daniel A. Effron describe two types of truths:
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Verbatim truth – factual, evidence-based.
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Gist truth – “true enough,” aligned with probability or expectation.
They introduce prefactuals: ideas that influence how we interpret truth based on future expectations.
Five ways prefactuals make us tolerate lies:
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Basic prefactual effect – expecting something to become true makes present falsehoods easier to accept.
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Ethical determination – believing lies could become true blunts moral condemnation.
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Plausibility and vividness – imagining outcomes vividly makes lies feel true.
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Motivated reasoning – lies aligning with our beliefs feel more credible.
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Counterfactuals – even contradictory evidence is discounted when prefactual thinking is strong.
Living with Truth in a World of Lies
The more fixed we are in our beliefs, the more we justify lies that align with our narrative. We cling to comfort and security, even at our own detriment.
So how do we live in truth?
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Be honest with yourself – notice your emotional responses to information.
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Check your reactions – high emotional responses make you vulnerable to manipulation.
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Do your research – avoid accepting information at face value.
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Step back – examine whether you are acting from ethics or self-preservation.
Our brains are wired for survival. Emotional reactions are natural, not shameful. Acknowledging our vulnerability allows us to choose truth over convenient lies.
Final Thoughts
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Keep vigilant.
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Keep open.
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Stay honest with yourself.
If you or someone you know is struggling with the consequences of these challenging times, you are not alone. Resources are available. For immediate assistance in the U.S., dial 988, 24/7.