In the October 13. 2025 issue of Time Magazine it is written
"...Vice President J.D. Vance appeared on Charlie Kirk's podcast the Monday after the conservative activist was killed, "We are going to go after the NGO network that foments and facilitates and engages in violence," he said, referring to nongovernmental organizations he claimed are left-leaning. (A study of U.S. political valence by the libertarian leaning Cato institute found that right-wing terrorism has cause more deaths than leftist violence both over the past five years sand since 1975." p.15
How important is it for people to be told the truth?
What happens when government officials in authority mislead people to believe social facts that are inaccurate? Is this immoral? If so, how is the harm to be repaired?
The first thing that can be done is the provision of accurate information. This can be distressing for people especially if the facts don't validate current beliefs. This contradiction between facts and beliefs is what social psychologists call "cognitive dissonance."
Cognitive dissonance for most people is distressing and they feel fearful of the truth. Why would people be afraid of the truth? Because they have some sort of vested interest in their inaccurate beliefs. What kind of vested interests are there? It can be as elementary as "saving face." Some people are insecure and have a vested interest in being right sometimes at all costs up to and including death.
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