The lies the government and media tell are amplifications of the

The words of James Wolcott pierce like an arrow through the illusions of modern society: “The lies the government and media tell are amplifications of the lies we tell ourselves. To stop being conned, stop conning yourself.” In this single sentence lies a truth so uncomfortable that few dare face it—that the corruption of power and the deceit of institutions are not born in isolation, but in the hearts of the people themselves. The falsehoods of society are reflections of the falsehoods within. When we lie to ourselves about who we are, what we want, or what we fear, we create fertile soil for manipulation. The external deceit that we condemn is but the echo of our internal blindness.

From the beginning of civilization, rulers and storytellers have known that the people believe what they wish to believe. Propaganda and tyranny thrive not merely because they are imposed, but because they are desired. Men do not fall for lies—they embrace them when the truth demands too much courage. Wolcott’s words remind us that to end the deception of governments and the media, we must first purify the inner temple of our own honesty. For no tyrant can enslave a soul that refuses to be deceived, and no manipulator can sway a mind that seeks truth above comfort.

This truth can be seen throughout history. Consider Germany in the 1930s, when millions accepted the poisonous narratives of Nazi propaganda. The government did not create that hatred—it magnified it. The media did not invent delusion—it fed the illusions that already simmered in the national psyche: pride, fear, resentment, and longing for simple answers. The result was a collective self-deception that led to catastrophe. The horror of that age began not with the lies of the few, but with the willful blindness of the many who preferred false comfort over painful truth. The same pattern repeats whenever people surrender their discernment in exchange for ease.

To “stop being conned”, as Wolcott commands, requires heroic self-knowledge. It demands that each person confront the lies they whisper to themselves: “I am powerless.” “I cannot make a difference.” “The truth is too complex to understand.” These are the very lies that enable corruption to thrive. A citizen who accepts these falsehoods becomes clay in the hands of those who manipulate perception. But one who chooses awareness, who questions, who endures discomfort for the sake of clarity, becomes incorruptible. Thus, every reform begins not in revolution, but in reflection.

There is a profound moral law hidden in this quote: collective delusion begins with personal dishonesty. When men pretend to be moral while acting selfishly, when they preach virtue but chase vanity, when they decry corruption while cheating in small ways themselves—the fabric of truth unravels. Governments and media, being born of men, simply mirror this decay on a grand scale. They become the projection of our own contradictions. The liar in high office is but the magnified image of the lies we tolerate in our own hearts.

Yet there is hope in Wolcott’s words, for he does not condemn—he instructs. If deceit is a reflection of the self, then so too is truth. To heal a nation, one must first heal the soul. Every act of honesty, however small, is a rebellion against manipulation. Every refusal to believe a comforting falsehood strengthens the foundation of freedom. The man who lives in truth cannot be enslaved, for he stands on ground that no propaganda can shake. In this way, personal integrity becomes the shield of society.

The lesson, then, is clear and timeless: do not seek truth in the mouths of the powerful until you have found it in yourself. If you despise the lies of the world, cleanse the lies within. Practice daily honesty—in thought, in speech, in action. Question not only what you are told, but why you wish to believe it. Demand truth from leaders, but first, demand it from your own heart. For when a people cease to con themselves, no ruler, no journalist, no institution can deceive them again.

Thus, let this teaching pass down through the generations: truth begins in the mirror. The freedom of a nation begins in the courage of its citizens to face reality without disguise. When you master your inner honesty, the outer world changes in its reflection. And in that moment—when the last comforting lie dies within you—you will see clearly that the world’s redemption has always begun with one awakened soul who chose to stop being conned by his own illusions, and to live, fiercely and completely, in truth.