Lying and power
Jul 17, 2020
Estonian Life No. 29 2020
Among many other similarities, the current chiefs in the Kremlin and White House have often been equated in one characteristic – a clear affinity for autocratic rule. Their crass falsehoods make both Vladimir Putin’s and Donald Trump’s fixation on fibbing a tool in consolidating and concentrating personal power.
They are both unabashed, repeat offenders. Right after his inauguration, Trump’s first official lie appeared to be an innocent deception, a glimpse of his vanity. He had ordered his acolytes to make bare-faced fabrications about the size of the crowd at his inauguration. Photos from drones clearly refuted the White House’s version of the facts.
It seemed to be an insignificant moment in the normal political landscape of exaggeration and feigned outrage. But in this case Trump knew he was lying, so did the media and the American public. The outright disdain Trump had for trying to deceive both his supporters and opponents alike was a glaring indication of Trump choosing power over truth. He had to make his dominance clear. The White House had entered a new era.
Even when the historical evidence is massive and undeniable,….
(Read more: Estonian Life No. 28 2020 paber- and PDF/digi)
Laas Leivat, Toronto
