Truth

Yes, there is a conspiracy,
a world-wide plot
to reprogram our minds.

The greedy
and the power-hungry
simply feed us
what we want to hear,
and we gobble it up,
always craving more.

We have become addicted
to the thrill of confirmation,
the morsels of thought
that paint our deepest fears
as real.

We are consumers
of a million nightmares,
packaged for our titillation,
offering us the uneasy sleep
of those who would trade tranquility
for the satisfaction
of being right.

We are their willing tools,
as long as we reach
for the next poison idea,
and take it as our own,
as if it were the truth.

And then we shout it out
to all who will listen,
spreading it like a virus,
sharing the poison
as if it were a gift.

We are like the walking dead,
willing slaves to those who thrive
on our fear and anger,
asleep to our own complicity.

We are their helpless co-conspirators,
until we pause, before each utterance,
and ask ourselves:
“Is it true?”
“Is it necessary?”
“Is it kind?”