*The Truth Always Floats on Top

The renowned British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who served his nation most critically during wartime, once remarked, “In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.” Disinformation, then, was considered not just a tactic but a necessity. But I believe Churchill’s observation extends far beyond the battlefield—it feels just as true today, in our everyday lives.

Truth, once revered, now appears to be in exile. Those we once considered reliable—news outlets, corporations, public figures—seem to treat lying as business as usual. Service providers often promise far more than they can deliver; products rarely match their grand cover stories. In many cases, the experience they offer is not just disappointing—it is shockingly the opposite of what is advertised.

We’ve long accepted that advertising involves exaggeration. But what we see now goes far beyond harmless hype. Businesspeople, driven by greed, are faking original products using hazardous ingredients, endangering their own communities in pursuit of criminal prosperity.

Governments, too, are often complicit. Under the pretext of “national interest,” officials bend facts and cover up truths. Politicians increasingly resemble cunning illusionists—twisting narratives, striking shady deals behind closed doors, and partnering with business elites or even criminal networks to enrich themselves.

Even those who were once the moral anchors of society—religious leaders, medical professionals, caregivers—are not immune. Some now exploit their sacred positions, committing ethical breaches that rob people of their life savings, dignity, and even health. What could be more alarming than a doctor or priest turned felon?

Though there are still voices crying out in defense of truth—those who believe it is the only path forward—they are often drowned out by the louder, more glamorous noise of deception. Even the courts, which are meant to uphold truth, sometimes seem to falter under the weight of influence and manipulation.

Am I overstating the reality? Or has falsehood truly become the new norm?

One thing is certain: I sense something is deeply wrong in many offices, institutions, and systems around us. Yet, in the midst of this fog of lies, I still believe we must not surrender. Truth may be buried, obscured, or delayed—but it never dies. It rises, slowly but surely, like oil on water.

Should we accept that truth is a relic of the past? I don’t think so. We owe it to ourselves—and to the future—to fight for it, even when it's inconvenient, even when it costs us.

Because whether we like it or not, truth always floats to the top… eventually.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Becoming Victims of a Single Fictional Narrative (part 2)

Image
The Stolen Narrative: Reclaiming Africa's Soul Our Buried Inheritance Ethiopia—and Africa—possess a  living tapestry  of history: ancestral wisdom in 3,000 tongues, cultures deeper than soil, unity forged through millennia, and pride in the melanin that maps our genesis. These are not relics, but  birthrights . Yet they were  deliberately fractured —not for being too vast, but too unifying. Colonial architects knew: united cultures resist exploitation. The Generation of Lost Stories 70% of Africa is youth (20-35) but 100% were robbed of their roots. Our elders’ truths were silenced by political puppets branding historians "tribalists" or "backward." Western-curated textbooks replaced oral epics. Youth learned  distortion as doctrine : ·    Diversity became division ·          Kinship became suspicion ·          Shared land became "stolen"territory The Weapon...
Read more

Wāyba (Tis) Revitalizing Massage: The Traditional Ethiopian Style

Image
Have you lately been sensitive to the gimmick by the road and virtually in all the newly –constructed buildings of Addis Ababa? You must have, unless, of course, you intentionally…..., forget it. It seems to me as though the City Administration Council “proclaimed” not to grant permission for proprietors to build their towers unless they are willing to rent several rooms for, at least, a couple of massage or spa service providers. Obviously, the spiraling of massage-houses in the metropolis appears to be tantamount to the shooting up of these fresh buildings, or so it seems. Of course, it’s not a bad idea to relieve one’s muscle stiffness, spasms or cramps, and become stress-free once in while (though it may seem bizarre to find lots of the masseurs crammed in one location, Bole Area….they are situated at nearly every 100 or so meters walk, and in some instances, even 4 or 5 spa houses are found in one stair of a building). After all, the therapeutic worth of massage has been acknowl...
Read more

Failing with Honor: A Forgotten Measure of Leadership

Image
A recent roundtable discussion with a few line managers and the CEO of a prominent company left a strong impression on me—so much so that I felt compelled to write this piece. During the session, after one straightforward manager presented his report, the CEO abruptly interjected: “I know you’ve tried your best, but your best didn’t yield any fruit.” From his pointed phrasing and animated body language, I couldn’t help but sense a note of derision. It seemed less about the numbers and more an insinuation—perhaps even mockery—of the manager’s integrity. As though the expectation was not only results, but results regardless of the ethical cost. In the real world, leaders endure both turbulent lows and celebratory highs. These extremes form the chapters of leadership from which we are meant to draw deep, lasting lessons. Yet too often, we judge leaders solely by their visible achievements. I believe, instead, that the real litmus test is how they face the inevitable: failure. Though...
Read more