Thread: Have we lost respect for the truth?

Canada tourist video shot in Northumbria | World news | The Guardian

I read this article today and it got me thinking... we live in times where dossiers are sexed up (WMD), dark faces in adverts are whited out (Ford replaced black and Asian faces in one of its international adverts some ten years ago and were found out), and here something as relatively simple and innocuous (one would think) as promotion for tourism dsiplays a total disregard for the truth.

Harper said, perhaps showing some comedic talent, "There's no attempt to mislead here. The picture used just fitted the mood and tone of what we were trying to do." Never let truth get in the way of a sentiment, eh?

What is it with us? Why do people constantly feel the need to lie or deceive to get a point across in the media? Are we really becoming that lazy? Surely a little research with a photographer on site would have borne fruit? Canada is, after all, a stunningly beautiful country. And even if Alberta is flat as a pancake, there must be some beautiful vistas to capture nonetheless?

I think this pretty much sums up everything dangerous about media communications right now. If you have an agenda, there's a wealth of content out there you can use to get your point across. Does it matter that the truth is hung, drawn and quartered in its wake?

I agree with you. This is one of the dangers of media consolidation, that there's no one to call others to account when they lie.

that's just weird. looks like they live in a completely different world.

i couldn't find the actual video, i assume they've pulled it out from circulation - if anybody anybody finds it can we have a link?

I agree with what you're saying to some extent, but we should keep in mind that this is nothing new. I think we here especially, tend to glorify the past as some golden age of virtue. The truth has always been sacrificed or twisted to make a buck or political gain or whatever. And when you're talking about advertising and the psychological manipulation they aim for - fuggedaboudit. Actually, I think we think we see more deception now because communications are so much more robust. In the past, not many ever found out...just another perspective.

Jordan

Originally Posted by jnich67

Actually, I think we think we see more deception now because communications are so much more robust. In the past, not many ever found out...just another perspective.

Jordan

That's a good point, and I had considered this too. Look at the poor git trying to get home from work during the G20 protests who was assaulted from behind by the police and consequently died. If it hadn't been for the public's own videos I don't doubt the original coroner's report (he died of a heart attack) would have sufficed. Instead, videos of the assault from a variety of sources cast enough of a doubt for a second autopsy which found he died from internal bleeding. A third autopsy has now been ordered.

Oh, and Dov... you must see this on big scale where you live. The crook, um sorry, 'gentleman' running the country now controls the private AND public broadcasting networks. How convenient for him! Perhaps that's why he doesn't seem to worry too much about his gaffes -- Rome's earthquake boosting camping holidays and Obama's lovely tan.

To quote Pilate, "What is truth?"

Originally Posted by xman

uh, yeah.



X

Precisely X, thanks for the confirmation. So why on earth would they use a shot of Northumbria? Give me the beauty of those mountains and lakes ANY day!

(I'm guessing that's a shot of Alberta at the Rockies end -- Banff or Jasper. My Canadian geography is rocky () at best, and I always incorrectly remember my travels in Banff as being BC.)

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

To quote Pilate, "What is truth?"

Yes, the truth can be tricky to pin down and define, but a lie or deception can be more easily identified. To some, taking a picture of the BC Rockies from the Alberta side (don't know if this is possible, but just an example) might not be 100% truth when advertising Alberta, but conversely taking a picture of somewhere 5000 miles away which you couldn't hope to see from any part of Alberta is clearly a bare-faced lie. I don't need to be able to define what 'the truth' is in order to see the lie going on here.

As VeeDub points out, this is just advertising, which has always had previous. But this practice is finding its way into every part of our lives, even when we're supposed to trust the sources. Apologies for the rant, but the laziness that belies this particular example somehow sums up for me the crap that we're fed everyday from all sides.

Originally Posted by majurey

Look at the poor git trying to get home from work during the G20 protests who was assaulted from behind by the police and consequently died.

Would that be the same poor git who was shown in the video deliberately shuffling along in front of a group of police with his hands in his pockets slowing them down? The one who was filmed in a similar confrontation earlier? Seems remarkably unlucky for someone who is claimed to have been trying to get home.

Spin works many ways.

Originally Posted by Rajagra

Would that be the same poor git who was shown in the video deliberately shuffling along in front of a group of police with his hands in his pockets slowing them down? The one who was filmed in a similar confrontation earlier? Seems remarkably unlucky for someone who is claimed to have been trying to get home.

Spin works many ways.

Ray, you can't be serious! Yes, he was shuffling slowly with hands in pockets. Perhaps deserving of a strong word and, if that doesn't work, some proportionate coercion. Take him by the arm, two of you, one on either side if necessary, and move him to where you want him. But take a baton and whack him from behind with no forewarning and then shove him so hard in the back he goes flying (hands still in pockets) and breaks his fall with his skull?

Sorry, spin it how you like, and though the whole 'truth' of the matter may not come out (was he p1ssed? Was he deliberately shuffling (the evil dangerous git) or was he confused?), the lie was lazy and plain to see.

You need further proof? How often does something like this need three autopsies in as many weeks?

But to the original point of the thread -- perhaps technology is making it easier for us to detect lies such as the example above which has always happened, but I also believe the flipside is that it makes it easier to lie. Sometimes for very little reason (such as the gorgeous photo of 'not-Canada').

Originally Posted by majurey

... And even if Alberta is flat as a pancake, ...

Which it isn't

Originally Posted by majurey

... there must be some beautiful vistas to capture nonetheless? ...

uh, yeah.



X