The Noble Lie

[Shrooms00087]

Do me a favor and watch this debate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZYUyFZnnBw

Noam Chomsky starts the debate with what our Foreign Policy is and the continuance of the Enduring Truth of Good Men and the relationship to our State and how our taxes support these atrocities.

Hitchens comes up on stage proclaims that the audience is captive (society) and then asks for donations and does not say to what for whom or why. He puts forth the notion that the moral majority hasn't the foggiest idea what to do with their money (if they did they would save their money and not give taxes to the atrocities). Worse yet he proved to Chomsky that his efforts are in vain and that Hitchens just robbed them and he has more of a right to have that money than the ones who gave it up.

Perhaps the Noble Lie simply exists because the majority cannot accomplish the simple moral task of inquiry.

Chomsky renters the arena gives Hitchens a hug and a bunch of books* and Chomsky's first sentence is "Okay now it's your turn".
*Thus reimbursing the people who lost their money and by giving Hitchens the burden of his Noble Lie.

 

[swilow]

"Our foreign policy".

What is 'the Noble Lie'?

 

[Shrooms00087]

Our being Americans or on the more broad scale Global Economy's political policies.

An example of the Noble Lie is going into Iraq. All of it was lies but it was for the economy's sake.

 

[swilow]

^My point as that this is an international forum. I am Australian. Your foreign policy is not my countries policy.

I was hoping you would define noble lie rather then giving example.

 

[ForEverAfter]

Perhaps the Noble Lie simply exists because the majority cannot accomplish the simple moral task of inquiry.

They don't want to.
People don't want to be responsible for what has to be done.
They don't even want to know about it.

The illusion doesn't work if they know it's an illusion, so they need to object when the illusion is broken.
So, there's a scapegoat. Somebody is blamed. And the "problem" continues, again, in secret.

Like that whistle-blower they made a film about, recently
I've forgotten his name.
His actions re-enforce the illusion of transparency.
In reality, governmental secrets are just hidden better.

 

[swilow]

Does the notion of the noble lie have some bearing on idea's of political correctness?

 

[Foreigner]

Does the notion of the noble lie have some bearing on idea's of political correctness?

The Noble Lie is basically when politicians fool their constituents into consenting to an action based on a lie, but for (in the politician's minds) the greater good. A Noble Lie is an ends-justifies-the-means approach, because no matter how many lies are told at the outset, if the outcome is good then it can be justified, even if controversial.

The war in Iraq is a good example, already mentioned. Intelligence was falsified to justify an invasion, but afterward everyone said, "Well, at least we got rid of Saddam and rescued Iraq from tyranny."

All that said, OP... I don't really understand what you want to discuss. Are you asking if noble lies are good or not?