Gold Rings and White Hot Lies

I remember being about seven. At school, at that time, I had a lovely, youngish female teacher. One day, when we were getting ready to do PE, as she asked us all to remove our jewellery, she told a personal story. Of course, it was mainly the girls that had jewellery, for the boys it was only really watches, but still, it was equally difficult getting the children to listen and take them off.

Anyway, she told us how her boyfriend was once a goalkeeper, a very good one, who played in goal for a football team. During one game he dived to save a shot and his gold ring got caught on the crossbar, tearing his finger off. Consequently, he had to quit football and end his dreams of becoming a professional goalkeeper.

Now, even back then, as a child, I was fairly sceptical. "That's quite farfetched," I thought. "Don't goalkeepers normally wear goalie gloves." However, I kept my thoughts to myself. Partly because I was a well-behaved kid that didn't openly contradict school teachers in class, but also because I understood why she was telling us the (probably made-up) story.

She didn't start the lesson thinking, "Ha Ha, I'm going to deceive these children. They'll never suspect my evil plan." She obviously did it because she didn't want us hurting ourselves when we did PE, by getting a necklace or watch caught on something; and felt a slightly gruesome, but relatable story might implore us to listen a bit more. Likewise she didn't want parents coming to the school gates asking why little Billy's brand new watch had been broke.

Anyway, that, but government.

With the caveat that governments aren't necessarily going to be as nice as my teacher was, and that the children they're imploring with their stories are in actual fact adults.