the onus of deceit

Institutionalized deception: "it's in his own interest that the common man not know . . .," ever allied with "moral" deception: lies mandated by moral precepts, forbidden knowledge, pessimism about the common man. It's better for him (on some scale - what scale?) not to know; to paraphrase: "he can't handle the truth!" This obligation to deceit, it preys upon conscience ~ a lamb dismembered by the wolves of duty.