The professional messengers of Nazi Germany and the Republican Party know there are two key factors for turning a lie into accepted fact over the long term:
– Exaggerate the situation or issue beyond the pale
– Get everyone on the team, and even your opponents, to repeat the exaggeration endlessly for years.
The exaggeration gets your attention and the repetition reinforces the neural connections in your brain to increase you retention of the lie and deminish other neural connections that contradict the lie. Eventually the contradictions are forgotten and only the lie remains as accepted fact.
The endless repetition of a lie first made by a president from the 80s is now known by almost everyone and accepted fact. (I think you know the lie and who said it, and I’m not repeating it. Though doing this is like saying “Don’t Think of An Elephant.” What are you now thinking about.)
I’ve heard many, who strongly support public infrastructure, in its broadest sense, which is created and maintained by the government, repeat the lie in casual conversation. It’s automatic, the lie gets blurted out as if it’s fact.
Opponents of Nazis, Neonazis, Altright, or any right-wing authoritarian must avoid helping these extremists spread their lies and turn them into accepted fact.
Please, don’t repeat their Noble Lies. And while you’re at it, don’t repeat their names.
Instead, repeat the names and truths you know and bolster them with your moral values that are the foundation of your truth.
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