LIAR! LIAR! PANTS ON FIRE!

Some Men would argue that the average modern Woman is a liar. Why? Do I need to start? False hair, false lashes, face-changing make up, false finger nails, excellent wonder bras, 3-6 inches addition to height, packed love handles in some tight spandex that produces an hour glass shape to mention a few. And if you call all this lies, then well, Women are so used to living this way, it has become the truth for them. They call the hair extensions “my Peruvian hair” and use words like “my nails, my lashes” etc. Hardly would any Woman agree that they are indulging in a life of falsehood. I guess I can say the same for Lance Armstrong.

It was amazing how people particularly the global society turned down their noses at Armstrong last month. It is my perception that a large number of people expected him to breakdown and cry during his interview with Oprah Winfrey, beg for forgiveness and give them an opportunity to say “you deceived us for seven years straight and you are asking for forgiveness?” engaging the world in a drama of some sort. He probably knew from the start that forgiveness would not be in the offing once he is caught and so he did everything to protect his lie until it became the truth for him. You say his apology appeared calculated. Well, yeah, because if you have told everyone your name is Simon for about 7 years, you get to believe it yourself while the truth is really lodged in a compartment in your brain; a compartment you really don’t want to have access to. You would do anything to protect that lie including bully people who know about it. Unfortunately for Armstrong, his sport had to do with having team mates. If it was a solo show, he probably would have gotten away with it. Like he said, if he did not come back, he would not have been caught.

To ‘do a big lie’ – a giant one that is worth documenting, you must forget your conscience. Not just forget, kill it. This is not an advocacy for people to see Armstrong in a better light, his actions were ‘disgusting’ as one critic I watched on CNN said neither is it an analysis of the act of lying.

If you have ever lied and started off a chain of lies, I admonish you not to turn your nose down at Armstrong. Instead take a sniff at your own scent. I have encountered many who would claim they are one thing and at that moment contradict themselves with their actions. You would hear someone claim to be honest and yet dream about an opportunity to take part in the loot for Nigeria’s treasures. The same man can swear confidently to be a person of integrity. Lying is an act so crafty, sneaky, and sly [sic]. If you put lying into a culture, it would probably get another name like protecting family interest, or protecting ‘our own’.

My advice is not this “Lie and lie until the lie becomes your truth” but that eventually the truth prevails. It always does even if it happens AD as in the case of Jimmy Savile. It may not happen in the world’s view and under the same scrutiny as the cases of Jimmy Savile and Lance Armstrong, sometimes the truth comes as a reality check, karma, and even a spiritual encounter. It doesn’t matter what form the truth comes but it is certainly easier living in truth with yourself and the world (though it might be painful and involve sacrifice).

I see Lance Armstrong as someone who has a very strong personality and has learned to mask his emotions so perhaps he is just quivering on the inside or maybe not. While the dust has settled somewhat on his case, all Armstrong has to do is look at his children every day and he will wish he had done things differently.