Ollie sits with Twinkie and Sally as they wait for the others to arrive, and when they appear at the side gate to the backyard, they are in deep conversation. Harvey holds the gate for the other two men.
"Hi guys," says Ollie.
"Hi, Hi, Hi."
"Hey Sid, is that watermelon for us?'
"You betcha. Shall drop it on the ground the way we used to as kids when we were stealing from Mr. Wilson's watermelon patch?
"No," we're sophisticated now. I'll get a knife. I'm ashamed that we were stealing."
"It was a cat and mouse game. Mr. Wilson loved it."
"Yeah, but we should have asked."
"I'll go into the kitchen and slice this. You stay. Oh, by the way," he turns back, "You know what? After our talk last week about finding truth, I came upon a book titled How to Win the War on Truth the very next day."
"Fascinating how that works isn’t it? Tell us about it."
I haven't read the book but listened to the author a bit. The part I heard was about recognizing propaganda.
"I'm listening," says Twinkie."
Sid sits down with the watermelon on his lap. “It was a crash course in recognizing propaganda. Did you know that after WWII, the word propaganda—by then, people knew it was biased and misleading information—publicists changed the wording to 'Public Relations."
"Nooo!" says Sally.
"Yep. "To recognize propaganda, we need to see that it is trying to sell something, whether it is an idea, a concept or a product."
Harvey chimed in, "I heard that the word came from the church, meaning, 'To Spread the Truth."
"Well heck," says Sally, “Nothing wrong with spreading your ideas, just don't mislead us in the process."
"Ugh," Harvey drops his 250-pound frame into a lawn chair. "Wouldn't honest advertising do it?"
"Sadly, not in most cases," says Sid. "People resist parting with their hard-earned cash and need a compelling reason to do it. Try to be a used car salesman. People take your time, but are, ‘Just looking.’”
"Sid, you're not a used car salesman."
"I was to help pay for college."
“Excuse me, I see you salivating over this watermelon.” He disappears into the kitchen whose widow overlooks the backyard where they sit. When he returns, the watermelon is in bite-sized squares with a container of toothpicks on the platter. He sets it on the low table in the center of their circle.
"So Sid," says Ollie, spearing a chunk of watermelon, "tell us more about finding lies."
"Well, some are clever marketing ploys, like the Macy's Thanksgiving parade the day before the hottest shopping day of the year. It's to promote Macy's.
"Listerine mouthwash, formerly used to clean floors, convinced people they had halitosis and needed a mouthwash.
"The 50-foot Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, California, originally had nothing to do with the Hollywood Film industry but was put up by a Real Estate Company to sell houses. Today, it's an icon."
"Those are relatively benign campaigns," says Harvey."
"It emphasizes that manipulation was involved," says Sid.
"Yes," and see how a clever phrase or icon catches on." Harvey lays one ankle over his other leg. "People visit that Hollywood sign every year. Now we hear that they are looking at a Real Estate Billboard."
"But a selfie of them and the sign proves they have been to Hollywood," says Sally. There they are at the film capital of the world. Oh, is it of the world? I've been led to believe it."
"I think it still is," says Sid, "We just need to know that propaganda is to sell us something, and usually it uses biased or misleading information. If it isn’t misleading, it is marketing, although marketing is often overblown information."
"It's called dramatization. Sid," says Harvey.
"But unless overblown, it wouldn't be interesting. It's a catch-22 situation. When science becomes political, it's dangerous. For example, 98 percent of the world's scientists say that Global Warming is a fact. Yet there is that 3% hanging on that it isn't happening. It is a mystery to me. I grew up where we had severe winters that froze the river so you could walk over it. Now my hometown might get a snow flurry in February, maybe none at all."
"It’s denial. Who wants to believe the world is heating up on us."
"You are being generous, Twinkie," says Ollie.
"Yeah," Twinkie responds," but how do we counter that?"
"I don't think 3% have much to say about it."
"Maybe not, but it causes dissension among the ranks, “ says Sally. “And we need to know the truth. Are we contributing and can we stop the process ors show it down? We need to get together to find answers. Not argue with each other. And now we understand animals better and would be kinder to them. I should invest in horses.”
"You go, girl," says Ollie.
"On one hand," says Ollie, "I'm impressed that people want to believe others are telling them the truth—it shows the goodness in people. One the other hand, it appears there is a range of people waiting to manipulate those kind souls. I heard that most of President Reagan's political people were from ad agencies."
"Oh, that's funny—well, not really." Says Harvey.
"Nothing wrong with promoting your product—people need money to live." Says Sally.
"Well, the subject of money can go off in an entirely new direction. Even with bartering, horse traders tried to disguise a lame horse under the guise that it was sound. What'a ya do?"
"Oh, we know fakers came in long ago in ancient marketplaces. And they came with an agenda," says Ollie. "It's a 'Look at me. Follow my way of thinking. How do we know the fake from the true? Isn't that what we were into last week?"
"I guess that's why I'm such a poor marketer," says Simad, "I don't like embellishing the truth, and thus, my books sell like day-old bread."
"You're a great writer, Simad," says Twinkie, "I believe that the people seeking what you have to say will find you. Like attracts like you know."
"I suppose," says Simad, not sounding convinced.
"Sid, though," says Sally, "How do we know the difference between good news and bad?
"Bill Moyers, the journalist, said, "News is what people want to keep hidden, and everything else is publicity."
“His buddy Joseph Campbell, the father of 'The Journey of the Hero,' said we are drawn to story.
"We like drama. We are geared to the story," says Sid, the way Deepak Chopra said we are hardwired to believe in God. Simad here's where you come in. You're the writer."
"Then, I need to tell a good story."
"Right on, good buddy," says Sid.
"But, back to what you were saying, Sid, how do we tell fact from fiction?"
"Here is one way: Does what we see or hear cause a negative reaction? I don't mean in fiction; I mean in real life."
"Hell, I can't tell the difference," says Harvey, plopping a watermelon cube into his mouth.
In world events," says Sid, "in dealing with people, does it enrage us.?"
"Hell yeah," says Harvey.
"Harvey, we need some criteria with which to judge. Let your feelings guide the way.
"It does enrage us to find we have been manipulated. I know it's more fun to be a true believer; it's more comforting. But perhaps a good dose of skepticism is important in a world where there is too much. Too much talk, too much advertisement, you know, just too much. Step back and be with people as we are here. Be with people who want what's good for you. Be with people who have your back and you theirs. Be with people who support your dreams and call you on your bullshit." He turns to Simad. "Simad, tell us, how do we find our inner path through life?
"Well," says Simad thoughtfully, there are three rules to find that inner path.”
"Tell us,” says Twinkie.
"Number one:" Simad holds up a finger." Do the inner work to find the thing that rings your chimes.
"Number two: Take the most delicious step toward reaching your goal.
"Number three: Repeat steps one and two over and over until you're dead."
They all laugh.
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