What is truth? Can we overly-informed modern day people have some sort of compass to gauge truth?
For millennia philosophers have been debating the concept of “truth.” What is it? And who says one man’s version of reality is actually the ultimate truth?
Sadly, hardly a day goes by that I don’t hear someone declare “I just don’t know what to believe anymore.” Why is this? Could it be that some of us are losing our ability to think independently or have we always been intellectually vulnerable to dueling ideologies – making us susceptible to hyperbole like “fake news” and “rigged system” and “Russian hoax?”
One thing I think we all can agree on is collective truth or group think has always been transient and evolving. There was a time when men believed that the earth was flat and to question that “truth” was grounds for punishment and imprisonment. To debunk or decry any concept which was recorded in biblical texts was a crime.
For example, when Galileo observed that the earth was not the center of the solar system and dared to challenge the “truth” of the day, the Roman Inquisition tried him in 1633 and found him “vehemently suspect of heresy”, sentencing him to indefinite imprisonment. Galileo was kept under house arrest until his death in 1642 for divulging the truth that the earth rotated around the sun instead of the biblical view of the other way around; which of course today is accepted as indisputable fact.
From Egyptian hieroglyphics and the Dead Sea Scrolls to our very own Declaration of Independence, we humans have always been driven to capture our version of truth. In the past, narratives and stories etched on parchment and in stone transformed into the bedrock of belief for entire cultures; thus becoming the accepted pillars of truth.
So in historical context and as realized by big thinkers like Galileo (to his own peril), truth was based on common belief or group think not so much on physics, scientific facts and deeper understanding of the universe, our planet and the origins of human existence.
Today, deluged with an overabundance of information, many Americans are struggling with the concept of what to believe and accept as truth. Highlighted by the partisan divide in the impeachment hearings – we are literally witnessing a tale of two very different narratives. Politically this is nothing new, our country’s history has always been wrought with hypocritical contradiction and competing politicized propaganda.
When Thomas Jefferson penned “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal . . .” he himself was a slave owner. An excerpt from a Smithsonian magazine article states “Jefferson was born rich and became well educated. He was a man of principle (except for slaves, Indians, and women).” So for Jefferson, his use of the phrase “all men” was actually exclusive to white men and antithetical to our modern day interpretation; all human beings. As in the past, the inherent “truth” of our forefathers evolved with our societal changes and unified priorities.
The introduction of YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, offers no shortage of “false narrative peddlers” vying to persuade us to believe their perverted version of truth. Divide and conquer as the ultimate goal, Russian trolls and our own homegrown radical extremists work diligently to stir up our emotions and highjack our rational thinking.
Cable news and social media offer 24/7 full access to our sponge-like minds; giving religious shysters and political conspiracy theorists the perfect platform to prey upon our presumed sheepish gullibility and intellectual laziness. Evangelists promising God’s blessings for a small “seed of faith” as well as politically motivated radical extremists cash-in on our ability to mentally acquiesce to the loudest voice in the room.
For each of us individually, truth is often the simplifying of the very complex and ultimately what we “feel to be true” defines our beliefs irrespective of facts and logic. While universal commonly accepted truths may not be up for debate – anything else which can expeditiously branded as “opinion” becomes fodder for those who make a living off of manipulating people’s emotions.
Thus the dilemma of modern man – with all of the noise around us, who and what should we believe?
If we are going to survive as a society and thrive as individuals – it is crucial we learn to use our critical thinking skills and empower our intellect with a compass magnetized by facts, logic and an unquenchable curiosity for truth. It is this kind of truth that will ultimately set us free and allow us to overcome purveyors of false narratives.
This article was written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
The Zen Den
Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.
