Do we really want the truth ?

Photo Stevens LeBlanc

Joseph Facal

Saturday, 27-jan-2018 05:00

UPDATE
Saturday, 27-jan-2018 05:00

Look at this article

On Thursday, Richard Martineau lamented the exaggerated claims that we are going to hear from here to the elections of the 1st of October.

Richard said that he wanted promises realistic that does not insult them, not his intelligence. Me too.

That said, understand first of all that the promises are, to a certain extent, unavoidable.

They are inevitable because the candidate that would propose only to do his best would be accused of lack of program, its blur and that would be to say that it asks for a blank cheque.

They are also inevitable because most of the people want the politician to tell them very specifically what he will do for them, just for them, in exchange for their vote.

In short, the promises, what do you want, it works, so…

Target

Of course the idea won’t take off if it is too far-fetched.

I would be surprised that Philippe Couillard (pictured) returns with his monorail Quebec-Montreal high-speed, design entirely in québec, that seemed pulled straight out of Blade Runner 2049.

But let’s suppose that you multiply the promises of both moderate and attractive.

The one who would explain that their total cost exceeds your financial capacity, or is not compatible with your promise to cut taxes will have to paddle hard to convince a public overall bit careful.

Anyway, the promise is usually done for a specific audience which we know the state of mind.

When Trump said he wanted to build a wall on the mexican border and bring back the jobs lost by the fault of the wicked free trade treaties, most observers laughed.

But Trump was speaking very specifically to the working class white in the Midwest who imagine, falsely, that illegal immigrants and free trade are the causes of his disappointments.

Hungry belly has no ears, it is said.

You, me, and Richard may well find that some promises are an insult to the truth.

Unfortunately, we live in a time where the truth, in all the miseries to be heard.

Each one builds ” his ” truth. Of fake news pass for truths. Conspiracy theories bloom like never before.

The rise of the middle-level education a-t-it lowers the credulity ? No.

Better yet, when the pledges are initiated by people who have never ruled, like Trump, or the CAQ, they have the benefit of the indulgence that has been given to newcomers in the name of ” it-can’t-can’t-be-worse-than-those-who-are-there-since-always.”

Franchise ?

The brutal truth is that the truth is rarely successful in politics. It is appreciated that by careful observers, and a small minority of voters.

It is only in times of crisis that you can say, like Churchill, that you will not have to offer only ” blood, work, sweat and tears “.

In ordinary times, the majority preferred the beautiful stories. Just know the coat.