FUD

There is a term called FUD. Fear, uncertainty and doubt (often shortened to FUD) is a disinformation strategy used in sales, marketing, public relations, talk radio, politics, religion, and propaganda.

While common usage of the term "FUD" is relatively recent and somewhat limited, the practice of casting unwarranted aspersions upon other persons, products or circumstances to further one's own goals may be as old as humanity.

New, old, it is still immoral and tantamount to lying, to basing your strategy on lies to get ahead. It is what is one of the things that is wrong with modern society.

It is what the anti-global warming lobby, the anti-vaxers, the christians, with everything that is against their narrow beliefs, and the politicians, do, to mention just a few.

It amounts to peddling second rate goods and ideas on people, rather than elevating your second rate ideas to something better. It is the strategy of the scoundrel, the con artist and the also-ran. It is lowering the bench mark to get ahead.

It is, essentially, building your success on a lie.

As the old saying goes,

You don't have to blow out somebody else's candle to make your burn brighter.