the difference between cheating and lying…

there is a book out on advertising.  as a retired church planter i’m interested in advertising.  let me tell you some things that are being pushed in our society.  listen to this.

“the magic word that can make you rich is verisimilitude.”  do you know what that is?  it means having the appearance of truth.  not truth but having the appearance of truth. 

it goes on, “the power pulsating in this magic work is this, verisimilitude is not truth but the appearance of truth.  we have learned that as we have replaced original idealism with cynicism that the whole truth not only doesn’t set one free, it isn’t a particularly scurried way to sell but the appearance of truth is.”

“instead of being strapped to a cold metal table of facts, we have soft cushions of quasi-facts on which we can lean.”

and then here is their rule.  “the corner stone of successful direct response copy isn’t truth but having the reader regard what you write as truth.”

it also deals with the difference between cheating and lying.  this is going to soothe your conscience, ok?  “when a copywriter hits his keys in desperation, he can start to lie, that is inexcusable but cheating might be despicable or it might be a wonderful way to sell a product or raise money without damaging anyone.  the gulf separating lying and cheating is as simple as this direct marketing rule. quote, ‘a liar is a scoundrel without redemptive qualities and should be disavowed by everyone in the business, a cheat, however, is a salesman who maybe a scoundrel, maybe misinformed or may be simply trying to win favor with a reader.’”

“conclusion.  scurrility isn't absolute in cheating as it is in lying.” 

folks, there is a very great theological word that applies to all of that.  the word is balogna.  balogna. 

it says lies are generally less thoughtful and more desperate than cheating.

folks that is the kind of stuff that is being taught in the business world today. 

proverbs say, if you want to be successful, do you want to be genuine in the business world, insist on integrity.

just a thought from the front porch…