Erich von Däniken, who died last week, anticipated the fixation with aliens and conspiracy theories of many podcasts and documentaries - Television Stills The internet and social media are full of lies. Why? The truth is often boring and sometimes discomfiting. Lies are better, more interesting, more apt to comfort the fearful. Some fields of study attract lies more easily than others. Medicine is easy and profitable to lie about – not least because almost everyone is afraid of illness and death.