By Robert Stygall  

A new mutant strain of Covid emerged – to be known as Covid-X. This was even more virulent than the first strain, and longer lasting, eventually impacting more than ninety-five per cent of the world’s population. At first, it was believed it was having no side effects but then the strange symptom became apparent. It was affecting the Prefrontal Cortex, in particular, that part of the brain responsible for the decision to lie or tell the truth. For reasons that scientists could not fully explain, those infected with Covid-X could not tell a lie.

News of the condition (and the actual condition) literally went viral. For a period of six months more than ninety per cent of the world’s population was Covid-X positive.

The realisation of the potential the condition delivered had profound consequences.

The dramatic implications soon became apparent.

In a matter of months hundreds of thousands, if not millions of marriages were ended or seriously damaged, as partners took the opportunity to ask each other if they had had affairs or committed other infidelities.

The outbreak of truth telling caused a myriad of social ructions, for example:

• Celebrations such as Christmas and weddings, already renowned for many as stressful occasions, they now became incendiary events as true feelings and long-held family secrets and grudges were revealed;
• Patients realised from their doctors the full extent and implications of their illnesses with many adverse outcomes resulting;
• At performance reviews managers and employees’ candid comments to each other resulted in mass terminations and resignations at all levels of organisations;
• The level of debate on social media descended to depths previously unimaginable as previously tamed truths and opinions were unleashed.

Not surprisingly, politicians became a major focus. In Australia politicians were asked directly if they had knowingly lied to the public. Virtually all of those that responded admitted they had. Those that refused to answer were assumed to be in the same category. The public was now so cynical they assumed that the very few who said they had not lied were not Covid-X positive and hence were still able to lie.

Other truths emerged:

• MPs admitted that the stance they took against climate change and their support of coal was nothing to do with truly held beliefs but seeking the votes of workers employed in fossil fuel industries and the importance of donations (overt and covert) from industry participants.
• Senior MPs admitted that previous leadership changes had been fuelled almost exclusively by personal ambition or just a lust for revenge;
• Many MPs admitted they had no firmly held principles or beliefs but were political careerist attracted by the game of politics and the fiscal rewards including life-time benefits.

Other amazing revelations emerged. A significant number of clergy and other religious admitting when asked that they no longer believed in God, but had continued the pretence as they had no other viable job or profession to turn to or were ‘trapped’ in an ecclesiastical establishment.

Other revelations were not so surprising. Producers of ‘Reality TV’ shows admitted they were planned and manipulated in detail, in order to deliver desired conflicts and outcomes.

After years of living in a post-truth society suddenly the world was living in a mostly post-lie environment.

Boris Johnson admitted that Brexit was just a convenient vehicle for him to attach his leadership ambitions.

Some leaders had no option but to refuse to answer questions knowing the serious implications of the truthful answers they would be ‘compelled’ to give.

Donald Trump retreated from public appearances entirely. Even the Tweets ceased. The silence became a mark of guilt by half the country and clear evidence of a conspiracy by the other half.

Likewise, Vladimir Putin retreated entirely from public profile. Two opposition figures who continuously demanded that Putin answer questions in a public forum were subsequently taken to hospital not with Covid symptoms, but with symptoms not unrelated to Novochok poisoning.

Xi Jinping had been unfortunate that he had been at a press conference at the very beginning of the Covid-X outbreak and was unaware at that time of the truth imbibing effect of the virus, that he unknowingly had contracted.

So when he had been asked; “Do you have any comments relating to the suppression of democracy protests in Hong Kong and the mass detainment of the Uighurs within China?” he replied, much to the astonishment of those present; “Our intention is to crush all resistance to the Chinese Communist Party, the enormous wealth of my family and associated elites, depends on my retaining total authoritarian control.’ Shocked party officials whisked Xi away before he could say anything more. Later, the Chinese Government said the official English interpreter for Xi had suffered a break-down and had made up the commentary and had subsequently been taken to a secure hospital. Unfortunately, there were a number of Chinese speaking westerners in the press conference at the time.

This was the first of a number of incidents that contributed to a significant deterioration in world tensions. As the veil of diplomacy was removed to reveal the shocking truths.

The unrelenting truth-telling was having a devastating impact on societies around the world.

Truth be known, most people were looking forward to the time when Covid-X was eliminated and there was a return to the relative normality of deceit and lying.