This Blog is dedicated to the memory of Eugene Lindsay, 1931-2015. For many years, Gene was one of my sales representatives, confidant and a friend. The title of this piece is attributed to him.
The United States is still in the throes of the election aftermath and the President just pardoned his son; something he repeatedly stated he never would!
The Not Good, The Bad and Absolutely Ugly!
Form Information Can Take
Even Biden’s hitherto staunchest supporters have turned on this so-called liar. Never mind that he has a decades long visible track record of his verbal latitude with the facts, this seems to have broken the camel’s metaphoric back. Moreover, this incident has seemingly opened Pandora’s Box regarding the loose running with the truth during the recent election cycle.
In our forthcoming book (2025), Navigating the Data Minefields: Management’s Guide to Better Decision-Making, we address at length the following types of non-factual information:
- Misinformation–“It can be a collection of false, fabricated, misleading and/or taken out of context. However, it does not meet the test of Intent to Deceive.”
- Disinformation–“The deliberate publication of private information for personal or private interest, as well as the deliberate manipulation of genuine content.”
- Malinformation–“The deliberate publication of private information for personal or private interest, as well as the deliberate manipulation of genuine content.”
- Deep-Fake–“Technology that can seamlessly stitch anyone in the world into a video or photo they never actually participated in.” We saw some of this during this last election.
When Guardrails Fail
“The fury which destroys an opponent’s character, would stop at nothing, if barriers were thrown down. That which is true of the leaders in politics, is true of subordinates. Political dishonesty in voters runs into general dishonesty, as the rotten speck taints the whole apple. A community whose politics are conducted by a perpetual breach of honesty on both sides, will be tainted by immorality throughout. Men will play the same game in their private affairs, which they have learned to play in public matters. The guile, the crafty vigilance, the dishonest advantage, the cunning sharpness;—the tricks and traps and sly evasions; the equivocal promises, and unequivocal neglect of them, which characterize political action, will equally characterize private action. The mind has no kitchen to do its dirty work in, while the parlor remains clean. Dishonesty is an atmosphere; if it comes into one apartment, it penetrates into every one. Whoever will lie in politics, will lie in traffic. Whoever will slander in politics, will slander in personal squabbles. A professor of religion who is a dishonest politician, is a dishonest Christian. His creed is a perpetual index of his hypocrisy.”
“Politics was a necessarily dirty game of treachery and deceit.”
The tools now available with more yet to come enable nefarious characters to attempt new heights in propaganda. Joseph Goebbels would be so proud.
Those of us who they seek to become consumers of valid and reliable information must develop better ‘radar’ detecting mischief in information and/or data. This will be an ongoing war with significant challenges determining actual facts–truth seeking. Moreover, misinformation and bias can come from automated solutions including Artificial Intelligence.
The saying, “If it sounds too good to be truth, it probably is,” applies today as much as ever. Our book drills down much deeper regarding signs of fabrication. We must forever be on guard for purveyors of lies are ubiquitous.
And don’t forget. Everyone has an agenda–good or some not so virtuous.
Enter the Tire Salesman
Gene Lindsay was a lifelong sales representative. Selling was his stock and trade. As might be expected from someone with his outgoing personality and background, he had a number of quips about the sales business. The satire of this Blog title has stuck with me over the years.
The obvious response is NOT to trust a sales representative of tires if you don’t know if you need one or more of his/her products. Gene knew that professionalism and helping prospects/client to make the right decision paid more with greater personal rewards in the long run than ‘stretching’ the truth for immediate gratification/commission.
NO is the appropriate sales objection in response to a tire sale representative, if in fact you do not need tires at this time. Ethics and truth shines through and yes, someday we all will need tires and hopefully we will turn to Gene’s proteges.
The Truth Will Set You Free
We all must attain and sustain the mantel of a knowledgeable (buyer) consumer of information. Our personal and professional success depends on this skill. Moreover, teach your children, colleagues, friends and relatives this skill as well. They will thank you for it every day they are required to make decisions.
Our marketing buzz word driven world has invented a number of descriptions for those who wish us ill, scammers, porch pirates, politicians who ‘walk back’ statements (give me a break), etc. These individuals are just liars and thieves and should be vilified. We should not credit them with some panache because of their chosen path.
While some politicians may not actually break the law, their states expose who they truly are. As Beecher stated, “Men will play the same game in their private affairs, which they have learned to play in public matters.” In other words, the philosophy, “We are what we eat,” is inviolate.
How do you and your organization determine whether information presented is tainted and/or past it’s “sell by date?”
For More Information
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See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.
The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page. Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the recently published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.” His focus is on Operational Technologies.
We are also pleased to announce our forthcoming book to be published by CRC Press in 2025, Navigating the Data Minefields: Management’s Guide to Better Decision-Making. This is a book for the non-IT executive who is faced with making major technology decisions as firms acquire advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962). For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game. You can contact this author as well.
For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg and his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.
Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our blog, Crippling Green.
For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts. If interested, check it out and give me a shout.