*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.

 

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