The Truth About the Lies

   It has often been said, “a lie may take care of the present, but it has no future.” John Stuart Mill certainly believed that was true. He was of the opinion that the long term consequences of any and all forms of lying, from big lies to white lies, would outweigh any short term benefits. And yet, as far as reaping the benefits are concerned, there is in existence today a Chicago-based company whose profits are built upon lies.    

The alibi network, a company that is easily accessible through its website, caters to its clients by offering them elaborately constructed deception, charging from $75 dollars for a simple phone call to thousands of dollars for the more extensive lies (which is in addition to a $75 annual fee). If you’ve ever been intrigued by the prospect of having a discreet extramarital affair, the alibi network would be the place for you. To provide their clients with complete personal freedom and cover all of their bases as they set out on their trysts, the alibi network can provide clients with the cover of being an employee of their partner company in order for these clients to explain to their spouses why they won’t be home for dinner. They provide the job offer letter, the invitation to attend career training, an employee manual, and any and all other supporting documentation, This all adds up to the perfect alibi for any and all spouses who want to breach the contract of “until death do us part” and just need that extra help.    

Of course the alibi network is so skilled in the ways of deception that they offer a smorgasbord of other secretive and sneaky services. They can help their clients pretend to be anywhere in the world, utilizing email accounts to make the recipient of the correspondence believe that a person is indeed out of the country at a particular time. They can create the illusion that an unemployed person has a job or even owns a business, providing the necessary infrastructure such as business cards, work phone number, email, and a personal secretary if needed. And one of the more popular services offered by the company is that they have the capacity to provide discreet shopping. Their clients can buy anything, anywhere in the world and have it shipped discreetly without leaving any embarrassing records.   

 So there you go, lies, sadly enough, seem to be keeping people in business. Though this company warns its clients that where legal matters are concerned, they will fully disclose any and all information, the truth remains that so many of these lies will remain in the dark. These lies will never see the light of day because of the elaborately constructed business transactions provided by the alibi network. Surely, everyone either has fibbed or told an elaborate lie of their own in their lifetime but there is certainly something to be said of a company that not only perpetuates lies and deception, but does so for a profit. As a member of The Truth About the Fact staff, I was astounded when I encountered this service built upon deception that has been in business for nearly three years. Deception may have short-term benefits, surely for this company, but these lies will have no future because when it comes down to it, truth is a higher and more evolved pleasure than the fabrication of lie. Emily Dickinson believed that truth was such a “rare thing” and so “it is delightful to tell it” but perhaps the time has come for the truth to cease being such a “rare thing.”

-Krystal