My Summer Reading
With two very long plane rides and other lazy vacation days this summer I had plenty of time to read. I enjoyed several political and adventure thrillers (Daniel Silva’s “The Secret Servant,” David Baldacci’s “Simple Genius” and James Rollins’ “The Judas Strain” to name a few). However, it was the last two books I read that really got me thinking. David Baldacci’s “The Whole Truth” is his latest book and a great political action adventure. While there is gripping suspense and great storytelling, it was the premise of the story that was perhaps most frightening.
There is the prerequisite bad guy, this time a powerful billionaire who hires a shadowy company to “perception manage” his weapons contracting company by manipulating public perception and creating the threat of a world-wide conflict that will force nations to enter an arms race, which will of course create trillions of dollars of global business for his company. That he is able to accomplish this with relative ease is quite scary when you look at our world today. He is able to do this primarily through the power of the Internet, in which bogus news is instantly promoted and accepted as truth as it encircles the globe.
That is what was so scary to me. News used to be carefully reported by journalists who were careful to seek the truth (multiple sources, fact-checking, etc.) before committing their stories to print. But in the Internet world anyone can put out a story and if it sounds credible (and plays on people’s prejudices and preconceptions) it will take on a life of its own, regardless of whether it is true or not. We also see this in the 24-hour cable news shows that are constantly seeking ratings by creating controversy through manipulating sound bites and shading the truth. “Perception management” is a very real threat to our political process and in all that we see and hear.
If you get the chance, read David Baldacci’s “The Whole Truth.” It’s an exciting summer read but also will make you really think about what you are being told (and “sold”) during this political season.
Blessings,
Steve