Lies We Live By

It's a sad truth that lies are becoming a part of everyday life. From 'pre-approved' credit card mailings to college admission claims to presidential press conferences, the American public is being 'spun', deceived and misinformed at a dizzying rate and on a daily basis. Why is this? And what can we do about it?

In this lively but serious examination of the way lies are becoming all pervasive, media expert Carl Hausman takes a hard look at the business of deception, an industry that is growing at an alarming rate. Uncovering the roots of misinformation in American business and politics, he reveals the way words, numbers and images are intentionally distorted for public consumption by some of the country's major industries—including tobacco companies, airlines, financial institutions, public relations firms and even medical practices and universities—and offers outrageous examples of some of the more egregious assaults on the public trust.

Showing readers how to spot potentially false claims, he offers advice about what we can do to stop them, with an annotated list of publications, individuals, and organizations dedicated to preventing the spread of misleading information.

Whether in paragraph-length footnotes, microscopic print or tortured statistics, the amount of propaganda being passed off as fact is both alarming and dangerous. Lies We Live By shows what to look for behind the double talk, but most importantly, it offers ways to fight back.