Editorial: Truth, Justice, and the American Way!

From the words of Superman to the realities of today�what has happened during the last 50 years?

It seems that back in the 1950s much of what was portrayed in the media, entertainment venues, and other sources extolled the ideals of the American Way. This was during a time of rebuilding after WWII and during part of the Korean Conflict. A lot of business was done "on a handshake," doors in homes were often unlocked, there was little or no welfare, individuals paid for what they purchased, credit cards had not "been invented" yet, and individuals were responsible for their actions. You could generally depend upon being told the truth�and act accordingly.

Let's contrast that with today. We can no longer rely upon the media for the truth, the entertainment industry has their own agenda, many politicians and bureaucrats routinely lie with no repercussions, and on and on. It seems as if the truth has disappeared from many parts of our society. Think about the following for example:

• - What can you believe on the Internet?
• - How many of the e-mails you receive daily are truthful?
• - How many of the advertisements you see/hear daily are truthful?
• - How much of the "news" that you see and hear every day is truthful?
• - How much of what is said during a political race is truthful?
• - Is everything that is being taught in schools truthful?
• - Do we get the truth when we are waiting on a delayed flight at the airport?
• - Also, are you aware that oftentimes you receive only a part of the facts and a misrepresentation of the facts?

I would be a millionaire if all the lies and "come-ons" on the Internet were true, i.e., the IRS has a refund check for me and they simply need my credit card number that is tied into my bank account�a relative of mine left me a lot of money in a foreign country and I only need to send a few hundred dollars to release the money�! As you know, these are all blatant LIES!!!

I think it's evident that we have a problem! It doesn't help when high-visibility leaders, entertainers, sports figures, and others openly tell lies that are broadcast into our homes, cars, work, etc. They get caught in a compromising situation and LIE�LIE�LIE!

What is the driving force behind lying? Often it includes money, power, position, embarrassment, trying to stay out of trouble, trying not to hurt someone, trying not to get involved, and many other reasons.

What would happen if we demanded truth from the news media, politicians, business advertisements, and from each other? It would truly be a different society in which we live. As pharmacists, this is a huge problem, as we must deal with the truth.

"As pharmacists, if our actions and our practice depend upon the truth, and we don't have the truth, then what do we do?"

Next week: Truth vs Opinion


Loyd V. Allen, Jr., PhD, RPh
Editor-in-Chief

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Brighten The Corner Where You Are!
The under-car lighting kits that are available for about $75 can be used to add a lot of eye-catching movement to an area of your store. These kits come with four strips of LED lights (2 strips, 4-feet long, and 2 strips, 3-feet long). After attaching these strips where desired, plug them into the included controller, attach a 12-volt transformer, and they are ready to go. They come preprogrammed with different types of light chases, flashing, or constant light display. And, the bulbs are generally good for about 100,000 hours (about 11 years), making them quite cost effective.