False Dichotomy
“Now wait a goddamn minute,” Dugan declared. “You’re telling me he did this shit in front of a crowd of people —“
“Bit more than that, really,” Falsworth muttered, tapping his cigarette with his index finger. Soft motes of ash drifted into the grass.
“— on live television, twice, and people still say it was, what, some cute little awkward fumble?”
“Of love and enthusiasm, apparently.”
Dugan’s stare of intense disbelief lingered long enough for Falsworth to release a prim sigh. Really, the man could be dreadfully slow on the uptake sometimes. Well, most of the time. “Yes, Dugan. That is what they continue to claim. And they continue to believe it because it is what they want to believe. They refuse to contemplate a reality in which a barefaced Nazi rubs elbows with their elected president. They tell themselves everything is fine because the lies are simpler to swallow. That, and honesty with oneself is sorely lacking in this society. No offense, old chap.”
“People aren’t that stupid. No, don’t look at me like that, shaddup. They don’t just want to believe it, they actually do. They’re as bad as he is. People like that piss me off!”
“Really? I could hardly tell.”
“They’re not convincing themselves to turn a blind eye. It’s not about honesty. It’s pure carelessness. They really just don’t give a shit.”
Falsworth couldn’t help tilting his head. “I think the average person is a bit more intelligent than you give them credit for.”
“Not saying they’re stupid. I’m saying they’re careless. Lazy!”
“How so?”
“They have world history at their fuckin’ fingertips. All these eye-Phones and tablets and…” Dugan wiggled his hands in a vague, frustrated gesture. “What are they doing with it all? Isn’t this the Information Age? Whoever the hell named it oughta take a seat. Information ain’t exactly the star of the show here.”
“Hm. I don’t see why we need argue a false dichotomy. There are much more than two kinds of people in the United States, contrary to popular belief.” Falsworth exhaled one last huff of smoke and smothered the cigarette beneath his heel. “I’m quite certain many people refuse to pursue the information because they prefer the lies.”
“Well, if their choice is deliberate, ain’t that malice?”
“Depends on the person. Labels aren’t always necessary, you know.”
“Sure.” Dugan gave a disgruntled huff. “But when you know what the problem is, it’s easier to kick it in the ass.”
Barnes had long promised Dugan was more insightful than he looked, and Falsworth felt a twinge of guilt at forgetting it once again. “A fair point. I would be lying if I said the idea of blanket statements wasn’t appealing. The world’s complexities can be dreadfully exasperating.”
“No shit.”
“Let’s join the others. I’d prefer to identify our next problem to kick in the ass before nightfall.”
Dugan smirked, and Falsworth couldn’t help feeling a modicum of satisfaction. Though it was a small comfort, it was nice to know that even in the middle of all this nonsense, some people still cared.
