"The Art of the Lie" (Marcel Danesi)

TITLE: The Art of the Lie: How the Manipulation of Language Affects Our Minds
AUTHOR: Marcel Danesi
PUBLISHER: Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishing Group, 2020, (256 pages).

Lying is one thing. Choosing to continue to believe in the lie pushes the hypocrisy to a whole new dimension. Written by an internationally renowned linguist and semiotician, this book asserts the following: "that lying is the most destructive of all types of deportment." This is a cancer that if not eradicated, should at least be neutralized. We need to be able to recognize them. By calling the lie as a form of art, author Danesi shows us the many different faces of the lie. The Trojan horse story is a powerful example of the art of deception, of how people could be deceived. Lies and lying are nothing new. From Lucifer as the "Prince of lies" to political leaders of today who tell half-truths in order to manipulate public opinion, we learn of this disease infecting our society in more ways than we know. Some would say there is a difference between a black vs a white lie. Others would claim that a lie is a lie, regardless of the colour. Regardless of justification, there is a sense of manipulation whenever lies are used, and this is where the problem begins. Danesi gives us a laundry list of these manipulators. From swindlers to con-artists; scammers to tricksters; cunning characters in literature to political figures in real life, all of these are ways that Lucifer, the prince of lies has influence in. The author calls this problem perfectly defined as according to George Goebbels: "Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it." Sadly, this has become pervasive throughout society. By showing us the different faces of such lies, author Marcel Danesi reminds us to be on our guard against two things: Being manipulated, and becoming a manipulator.


The world is full of lies. With the Internet, the pervasiveness of lies will only get worse. There are the "alternative facts" as told by Trump's consultant, Kellyanne Conway to deflect any sense of wrongdoing. When language is restructured as doublespeak or words that confuse and conflate the original meaning, there is more falsehood than truth. Confabulation is another lying technique stitched together through vague recollections, partial fabrication, and ego-boosting words. Trump popularized the word "Fake News" which adds to the library of manipulative words. It serves two purposes. First, it allows his followers to spread the conspiracy theory excuse. Second, it attacks the media he does not like. It is targeted at journalists in particular. Gaslighting is a technique used to "control the perception of reality." We see a lot of examples in literature, movies, and dog whistles. Danesi says that when leaders use words like "family" and "values" in election speeches, these become dog whistles to rally votes to one's platform. Showing us how words could be used as weaponry, the author highlights the need to guard ourselves against deception, denial, and deflection. We are all tempted to do that especially when maneuvering from defensive to offensive. He calls Trump a "master" when it comes to such "military verbiage."

My Thoughts
I see Trump's name mentioned throughout the book as the modern Machiavellian. In some way, the author acknowledges Trump as the Master Yoda of the art of the lie. When cornered, he deceives, denies, deflects, or destroys his opponents. He links the state of mental health with the environment of lies that we have grown accustomed to. This is a big link. By asserting that "words matter," Danesi hopes to shine light on truth and to expose lies as falsehood. Lying is to be taken seriously, for truth matters absolutely. This has huge implications because the way to deal with mental health is not just prescription of medication but a healthy environment of truth. Danesi even supplies the positive empirical data which shows how much improvement in brain health when the lies go down. Being manipulated humiliates us which in turn could make us bitter and vengeful. When we are better equipped to deal with lies, scams, and falsehood, we will form a better hedge of protection to maintain good health.

This is a book that deserves a wider read. If you are a Trump supporter, you might tune out completely from what the author has to say. You might even claim that the author has a personal vendetta against all things Trump. Before jumping to that conclusion, note that the author is writing as an expert in the field of linguistic, human behaviour, and semiotics. He uses science and connects research with verifiable data. Even if one does not believe everything Danesi writes in the book, at least consider the possibility that not everything Trump says is true, both letter-wise and meaning-wise. Words can be twisted and changed to achieve one's end. As Lord Acton's saying goes, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely," it is not just Trump but anyone in power who has the greatest tendency to abuse words for one's ends.

I think the biggest value in this book is to be able to recognize the signs of the lie. Whether it is big talk that boosts up one's need to be inspired, or small talk that meets one's need for companionship, sometimes we can deceive ourselves into believing what we want to believe. Things are often not what they seem to be. The overall mood in this book is dark. Like a mirror to reflect the real world we live in, we can ignore the message in this book at our peril. 

Marcel Danesi is professor of linguistic anthropology and semiotics at the University of Toronto, director of the university's Program in Semiotics and Communications, and an internationally-renowned semiotician. 

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Rowman and Littlefield Publishing Group and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.