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By Sidheswar Jena
PhD Scholar – Law

We often hear people say society is “intelligent.” But if that is true, why does the crowd so easily follow someone who keeps lying—even when those lies are exposed in broad daylight? At the same time, a person who speaks truth clearly and directly is ignored, even abandoned. This contradiction is not just politics or culture—it is psychology.

Repeated Lies Feel Like Truth

Psychologists explain something called the illusory truth effect: when a lie is repeated many times, our brain starts to accept it as truth. Familiar words feel safer than unfamiliar facts. Lies are repeated loudly, again and again, while truth is usually quiet, serious, and said only once. Naturally, the crowd remembers the lie, not the fact.

The Pull of the Crowd

Another reason is herd mentality. Most people do not like to stand alone. If the majority believes in a lie, joining them feels safe, while supporting the truth feels risky and isolating. It is easier to move with the tide than against it.

Lies Are Attractive, Truth Is Heavy

Lies are often sweet. They promise quick fixes, easy answers, or someone to blame. Truth is harder—it demands responsibility, patience, and sometimes sacrifice. People turn away from truth not because they cannot see it, but because they do not want the burden that comes with it.

The Contradiction of “Intelligent Mass”

This creates a painful contradiction. Society, which prides itself on being educated and progressive, ends up rewarding liars while punishing truth-tellers. In reality, the “intelligent mass” often acts not with intelligence, but with fear, greed (lalach), and emotion.

Has Truth Lost Its Value?

Today, truth seems less about facts and more about agreement. If enough people believe a lie, it starts to look like reality. This is why a repeated liar can be celebrated, while an honest person is left alone.

The Hard Reality

The sad truth is this: lies survive because they are easy to hear, while truth is difficult to accept. Until society learns to choose truth over comfort, the liar will continue to be cheered in daylight, and the truth-teller will continue to stand in silence.