Every time you scold your children in public for doing something they get away with at home, you are manipulating the truth.

Every time you order a diet Coke simply because there are people around, you are manipulating the truth.

Every time you wear control top pantyhose, you are manipulating the truth.

Every time you think before answering an interview question, you are manipulating the truth.

Every time you clean your dorm room before your mother comes, you are manipulating the truth.

Every time you decide not to go out with the guys but make it sound like your wife’s decision, you are manipulating the truth.

Every time you tell your friend you like her hair and you don’t, you are manipulating the truth.

Every time you watch American Idol and deny it the next day, you are manipulating the truth.

Every time you dress your kid differently when your in-laws come over, you are maniuplating the truth.

Every time people talk about a popular book and you don’t mention you haven’t read it, you are manipulating the truth.

Why are you manipulating the truth?

Because you want something.

You want the job.

You want the second date.

You want people to like you.

You want people to respect you.

You want someone to think something about you. You want to highlight your good points and camouflage your bad. You want people to take actions they would not normally take if they viewed the situation objectively and without your manipulation.

You know what that’s called? MARKETING.

If I see one more fucking person criticize internet marketers for “trying to sell a lifestyle” while happily drinking Coke and typing on an iMac…

If I read one more fucking blog comment saying marketing is dirty, while linking back to their own website…

If I hear one more fucking person tell me that ebook sales pages are yucky but, gosh, they loved The DaVinci Code…

As a marketer, I can be FINED AND JAILED for lying. You can do it whenever you feel like it. I have to creatively highlight the good points of my product while deftly redirecting concerns about the bad points.

You are under no such obligation. You can just lie.

So maybe it’s time to get off the fucking high horse about marketers manipulating the truth.