According to Wikipedia, truth is the property of being in accord with fact or reality. In everyday language, truth is typically ascribed to things that aim to represent reality or otherwise correspond to it, such as beliefs, propositions, and declarative sentences. Truth is usually held to be the opposite of falsehood.
By this definition, one thing is quite clear; as modern connectivity technology advances, the ability to define one’s perceived truth corresponds directly with the pipeline of information one is plugged into.
According to the software engineers who programmed the algorithms which addict and ensnare us (https://www.thesocialdilemma.com) all seven and a half billion of earth’s inhabitants now have the capability of living in our own “Truman Show.” In the Academy award winning movie, we are presented with Christof, a godlike creator, who sees himself as the master gatekeeper of Truman’s reality. When questioned about the ethical aspects of the world he has created, Christof appeases his own conscience by stating: “We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented.”
Today, in true Truman Show fashion, every social media app is designed to accommodate your fears and edify your beliefs, thus creating a world which truly revolves around you. With every click, your own version of reality is fortified. You and I are no longer reading the same facts – we are being directed to the narratives which fit our existing model of reality, thus reinforcing that our version of “the truth” is the right one.
Roger Ailes, the creator of Fox News applied this same vision of human commodity to his network. Like Christof, Mr. Ailes stated, “people don’t want to be informed, they want to feel informed.” His model of disseminating news focused more on opinion, commentary and news as entertainment versus a colder, disconnected recitation of events. It worked, which is why he was considered to be a media genius.
Today’s question is how do we both stay informed and reassure ourselves that we aren’t ill-informed? I would answer like this: If I only consume my favorite desserts all day long, not only will I be malnourished; my addiction to sugar would overpower my ability to choose healthier options. To avoid the toxic effects – I would have to be willing to cleanse my palette and diversify my diet.
In the same way, we must take personal responsibility to deprogram our “feel informed” bubble by putting our eyes on many sides of every discussion. In print and on the airwaves, we must be willing to explore with curiosity and navigate our reinforced fears – get out of our Truman Show comfort zone, climb the stairs and bust through the edge of our wall of reality.
“There are infinite realities we can experience in this world. Why? Because a reality is nothing more than the interpretation of our perception of the world around us. Truman never figured out that his whole life was being lived for others to enjoy and/or profit off of because he took everything he saw for face value. Cue the Sun . . . “ – Christof
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.
