Jason was 100% convinced that Emily was having an affair and that she was entirely responsible for the end of their marriage. How was he so sure when he had absolutely zero evidence whatsoever? It didn’t matter to Jason because he knew it was true.
Is truth absolute? Or is it a perception?
Back in the day when getting pregnant before marriage was a shameful secret, I heard a story about a guy whose parents told him they were married one year earlier than their marriage license reflected. So when he found the yellowed copy stuck in an old family bible, he easily did the math and discovered that his parents were actually married after he was born. To their dying day, they insisted that the marriage license had a typo.
Why does the truth matter?
In researching this loaded topic, I discovered that Wikipedia credits Kellyanne Conway, former Counselor to the twice-impeached former President, with the term “alternative facts.” She was being interviewed about the discrepancy concerning how many people attended the inauguration in January of 2017, and insisted that the difference in numbers reported were simply “alternative facts.”
Are “alternative facts” true?
Several years ago, I attended a luncheon where the guest speaker was a local news anchor. When he concluded his talk and asked for questions, I asked him to help me find some news sources that were truthful and unbiased, and he told me there weren’t any! He suggested that I seek out two or three news reporting agencies, and then make up my own mind.
I have attempted to follow this advice, and yet I find myself invested in the truths that I believe. How am I to reconcile my perception of the truth with the actual truth? I decided to seek an answer from the all-knowing, all-powerful Alexa. So I asked, “Alexa, how important is the truth?” She replied “Hmmm, I don’t know.” I decided to say it another way. “Alexa, where do I find the truth?” Her response, “I don’t know that one either.”
I am getting a headache.
Truth, for me, is based on trust. Trusting the source, and trusting my own instinctive reaction to the message. So I’ve chosen to verify Facebook posts by running them past Snopes.com. And even then, I don’t share the verified posts because my truth doesn’t automatically become the truth of anyone else, nor do I feel the need to convince anyone else that my truth is the only choice.
Truth, for me, is also based on science because science is dependent upon truthfulness. In other words, you can’t have one without the other. So, I don’t have to remind you that a world-wide pandemic has caused us to scrutinize science like never before. Despite the existence of those who think the whole thing was a hoax (makes me wonder where they look to find the truth), I trust my own sources, and I trust my own instinct.
Where do you find the truth?
Thanks a lot, Nancy! Now I have a dizzying headache!
I’m not sure I ever really find the truth… Or, at least, there’s no way to know if I have found it or not! There have been times when I thought I had the truth, because it came from a source whom I trusted. However, it sometimes turns out that even that wasn’t the truth, as my source had misconstrued or miscommunicated the facts themselves.
This is one of those conversations that can go on and on, ad infinitum! It’s like discussing the universe and where it ends…IF there’s an end point, then what’s beyond THAT?! Never ending and mind boggling!
And, yes, the question as to whether or not the truth really matters, is a good one. Of course, the truth matters when someone’s well-being is on the line. However, the truth, just for the sake of being right or wrong, really doesn’t matter. Religion is a perfect example of that, in my opinion. What’s someone else’s so-called truth about their God and beliefs doesn’t matter to me, nor should it matter to anyone else. If their truth works for them and gives them peace, then good for them. My truth is what I’m comfortable with and it doesn’t affect anyone else either way.
OK, I’m going to take a painkiller now! I hope everyone finds their own truth and lets everyone else be at peace with theirs.
You’re preaching to the choir about getting a headache! (I’m sorry to be the cause of yours today …)
It’s a dilemma, and I think you hit on a great solution: “My truth is what I’m comfortable with and it doesn’t affect anyone else either way.” Spot on!
Thank you for your insight.
So, truth. Old author, turn of the century, Edith Starbuck, a pastor of sorts, said that for starters truth might be when people don’t share a common hallucinaton. . .truth might be perception, but for me, it is as close to fact (sometimes scientifically evolving and/or culturally fluid fact) as I can source,sits someplace within a paradigm that I can live with even with I blatantly wish it were different, and can be independently verified by others with different perceptions and sources.
Truth matters to me. I am game to listen to opinion, but not to swallow it hook, line, and sinker, though if I am swayed by it,I am willing to consider verification of sources to support said opinion.
Sage advice, Ellie. Thank you for your comment.
Truth is unique to each individual I believe. We all see things differently and slanted to our way of thinking. Part of the union training on handling employee grievances was –believe but verify. Even after facts are verified there will be those who will never believe them partly because they would have to change their way of thinking. And that’s the truth.