Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
Proverb
As many of the Covid lies were uncovered (vaccines as safe and effective, no side-effects, no transmission if vaccinated, etc.), a lot of people are righteously angry. After all, they were fooled. They made irreversible decisions, like putting their children at unnecessary risk, based on promises of safety that proved false. The media stoked fear, politicians declared vaccines the only solution, and big pharma gladly profited—at the expense of trust and health. Imagine trusting such promises for your child, only to discover that decision may have increased their risk. The betrayal is profound—and those who suppressed the truth for profit bear the blame.
Or consider the mostly fabricated story by an activist organization about a meeting involving German right-wing politicians (AfD, CDU, and others), which falsely claimed that deporting German citizens was discussed. This misrepresentation brought thousands to the streets to protest—not against extremism, but against «the right» in general. Many felt righteous, fighting an imagined threat, while unknowingly supporting the current government’s narrative and undermining opposition parties. In the end, they protested against democracy itself.
In both cases, people were manipulated into committing strongly to positions they might now regret. Whether it was parents making decisions under immense pressure or citizens marching based on distorted narratives, the consequences were devastating. Protests fueled by fabricated claims don’t just target opposition parties; they corrode democracy itself. True democracy thrives on diverse perspectives, not suppression masquerading as virtue. Yet, sensationalized media and selective reporting often drown out dissenting voices, consolidating power and control rather than informing the public.
How can people who were manipulated in this way, including to show such public commitments as possibly endangered their children or marching through the streets, regain the freedom to decide for themselves?
Anger can spark liberation from manipulation. We were fed half-truths and outright lies — not to empower us, but to control and silence us. Whether through vaccine mandates, political narratives, or media spin, our trust was exploited for profit and power. Recognizing this betrayal is painful but necessary — it’s the first step toward reclaiming dignity, autonomy, and the ability to think independently.
Twain put it best: «It’s easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled.» Admitting this is hard, but it can be transformative. The truth is, many of us have been misled — by incomplete information, sensationalized media, or politically motivated narratives. But recognizing manipulation is the turning point. By reflecting on the past, learning to question what we’re told, and staying vigilant, we can ensure we’re never fooled again.