The Death of Truth, Honesty and Trust

Reality is no longer real; it is contrived.  Truth is seldom absolute; it is relative.  Honesty is no longer idealized; it is obsolete.  We live in this world.

Trust no longer exists.

In his book, “The Speed of Trust,” Stephen Covey writes:

“There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, organization, nation, economy, and civilization throughout the world – one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love.

On the other hand, if developed and leveraged, that one thing has the potential to create unparalleled success and prosperity in every dimension of life.  Yet, it is the least understood, most neglected, and most underestimated possibility of our time.

That one thing is trust.”

Trust is the glue that holds us together.  Social order and progress depend on upon some level of a shared sense of reality, truth and belief that honesty is better than dishonesty.  It is from these virtues that trust flows.

Is America Committing Suicide?

Is America committing suicide?  Historically, all democracies do it eventually.  In a letter written to a friend in 1814, John Adams, second President of the United States expressed his unease about the future of the United States’ writing, “Democracy never lasts long.  It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself.  There never was a Democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”

A quarter century later, another President, Abraham Lincoln, observed, “At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction were our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”  It was only because of Lincoln’s inspired leadership during the Civil War that our Union survived beyond the 1880’s.

Democracies are fragile.  Today, that truth is lost on tens of millions of Americans.  Since its birth in 1776, the United States has met and survived every challenge—from within and without–to its existence.  Our people have indeed been fortunate.

Why?