I am bemused by the writer, needing to wear a badge. Surely he has a companion or carer with him to ensure he gets home safely.

A nice humorous piece which bought a smile to my face.

I did however expect a more in depth analysis on how language is used to lie.

Oh the irony of 'concealing reality with words.'

This statement denies the very nature of reality.

Reality is reality is reality. You cannot conceal it with words anymore than you can conceal it by lying to yourself in the form of delusion and the pursuit of illusion.

You cannot conceal the sun by wording it in a pack of lies.

People fundamentally know the truth, what is REAL. However, its far more palatable for us to pretend otherwise, adopt a bit of free licence, and restate, redefine and lie away. Or is it lie awake. Nah, lie asleep.

This goes to a much deeper lack amongst people, which is spiritual (for want of a better, uhm, word). By which is meant, moving beyond the idea of SELF and perceiving a wider and deeper reality, a truth, in which all are immersed. Problem is that truth hurts and its a bit scary. Hence the retreat into delusion (lies).

At heart everyone who swallows a lie is lying to themselves. Ignorance and apathy for questioning is no excuse. You cannot divest yourself of responsibility for preferring to believe the lies. This is self deceit. The most pervasive of delusions is to blame others for the lies we choose to feed on.

Politicians, the essence of which is MANIPULATION, live by 'free licence.' Free licence is the backbone of manipulation, as fickle as the beast is. A bit like a leaf blowing in the wind. Dont be the leaf, be the wind. Hahaha, how corny does that sound, true tho that it is.

The writer could have struck up a more serious issue..

That people of academic youth who once would elighten and maintain standards in their use of common English , now they are forced more to yield themselves to cliches drummed by the less academic types and the media.

- the information age starving our brains of the energy to polish our language skills
- the oversupply of tertiary graduates meaning trades people translate their market dominance into other domains
- the stress on non-English speaking immigrants no longer to simply learn good English but to comply with the moribund standards of "aussies".