large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_17_belloc_64kb_13
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_17_belloc_64kb
English
7264
These statements of truth, even when they are quite unimportant, more, of course, when they illuminate matters of great civic moment, have a cumulative effect. I am confident, for instance, that at the present time the mass of middle class people are not only acquainted with, but convinced of, the truth, that, long before the war, the House of Commons had become a fraud; that its debates did not turn upon matters which really divided opinion, and that even its paltry debating points, the pretence of a true opposition was a falsehood. THESE STATEMENTS OF TRUTH EVEN WHEN THEY ARE QUITE UNIMPORTANT MORE OF COURSE WHEN THEY ILLUMINATE MATTERS OF GREAT CIVIC MOMENT HAVE ACCUMULATIVE EFFECT I AM CONFIDENT FOR INSTANCE THAT AT THE PRESENT TIME THE MASS OF MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY ACQUAINTED WITH BUT CONVINCED OF THE TRUTH THAT LONG BEFORE THE WAR THE HOUSE OF COMMONS HAD BECOME A FRAUD THAT ITS DEBATES DID NOT TURN UPON MATTERS WHICH REALLY DIVIDED OPINION AND AT EVEN ITS PALTRY DEBATING POINTS THE PRETENSE OF A TRUE OPPOSITION WAS A FALSEHOOD
question. They hear him speak. They receive a primary and true impression. If they had not read anything suggesting the truth, it is quite upon the cards that the false suggestion would still have weight with them, in spite of the evidence of their senses. Men are so built that uncontradicted falsehood sufficiently repeated does have that curious power of illusion. A man having heard the speech delivered by the old gentleman, if there were nothing but the Official Press to inform opinion, might go away saying to himself: "I was not very much impressed, but no doubt that was due to my own weariness. I cannot but believe that the general reputation he bears is well founded. He must be a great orator, for I have always heard him called one." But a man who has even once seen it stated that this politician was _exactly what he was_ will vividly remember that description (which at first hearing he probably thought false); physical experience has confirmed the true statement and made it live. EAR THE POLITICIAN IN QUESTION THEY HEAR HIM SPEAK THEY RECEIVE A PRIMARY AND TRUE IMPRESSION IF THEY HAD NOT READ ANYTHING SUGGESTING THE TRUTH IT IS QUITE UPON THE CARDS THAT THE FALSE SUGGESTION WOULD STILL HAVE WEIGHT WITH THEM IN SPITE OF THE EVIDENCE OF THEIR SENSES MEN ARE SO BUILT THAT UNCONTRADICTED FALSEHOOD SUFFICIENTLY REPEATED DOES HAVE THAT CURIOUS POWER OF ILLUSION A MAN HAVING HEARD THE SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE OLD GENTLEMAN IF THERE WERE NOTHING BUT THE OFFICIAL PRESS TO INFORM OPINION MIGHT GO AWAY SAYING TO HIMSELF I WAS NOT VERY MUCH IMPRESSED BUT NO DOUBT THAT WAS DUE TO MY OWN WEARINESS I CANNOT BUT BELIEVE THAT THE GENERAL REPUTATION HE BEARS IS WELL FOUNDED HE MUST BE A GREAT ORATOR FOR I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD HIM CALLED ONE BUT A MAN WHO HAS EVEN ONCE SEEN AND STATED THAT THIS POLITICIAN WAS EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS WILL VIVIDLY REMEMBER THAT DESCRIPTION WHICH AT FIRST HEARING HE PROBABLY THOUGHT FALSE PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE HAS CONFIRMED THE TRUE STATEMENT AND MADE IT LIVE
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