Revisiting the Pinocchio Meter

Geico’s advertisement campaigns have been masterful using a gecko lizard, cave man and most recently Pinocchio to illustrate a felt need for insurance. While the cave man and gecko have received the most notoriety, the addition of Pinocchio adds an interesting element. This wooden puppet created by Geppetto is synonymous with lying. Whenever Pinocchio failed to tell the truth, his nose immediately grew to expose his latest lie.

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight, Proverbs 12:22.

Pinocchio was first interjected by Geico as a flawed motivational speaker. The latest commercials include a blind date and parking ticket. The sight of Pinocchio’s nose growing with each fib still makes me laugh. However, when cable news pundits, newspapers and reporters alter the context of a statement, exaggerate or stretch the truth daily, it’s not funny at all. Yet, this is the state of America’s politics in 2020 with the nastiest likely yet to come.

A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish, Proverbs 19:9.

It’s a shame that the Ten Commandments are broken daily without much outrage. Whether a member of the media bears false witness, dishonors parents and takes the Lord’s name in vain, the foundation for ethics in America is crumbling. Instead justification and rationalization allow lies to be told if it’s against a certain party or hated individual. Until modern day Pinocchio’s are exposed for their dishonesty, lying ways will continue. If only a Pinocchio Meter was available for all to see, ethics and morality would change. Yet, for now it’s in God’s hand, waiting for Judgment Day for the liars to be revealed.

by Jay Mankus