We have all read, heard and watched the many stories wherein the hero is asked to speak of truth above all else. He is moved to action when the truth becomes clear. When the evil becomes known and too much to ignore any longer. It is the courage that steadies his aim and the fire that warms him in the cold. Truth becomes his armor and his word becomes his currency.
Unfortunately, this is no longer part of our stories. Truth has become a dying virtue. This is the story where truth itself has become perverted and twisted, some even say evil. It has been devalued to the point that even in the light of glaring and indisputable resolve, people will shy from it, even denounce it. It’s gravitas has been lost through an unfair redefinition, one I never agreed to I might add. It no longer sits rooted in the earth, thriving from principle and morality, but instead floats, unobtainable, above the earth – cast to the winds with constructs such as “my truth”, or “I feel…”
There is no such thing as possessive truth, nor feelings of truth. It is not nuanced, nor subjective. It is not evil or good, Truth merely is. It’s existence is indelible. No matter what people do to try to poison and twist truth, the reality is, Truth is Truth.
When we believe that our existence, perspective, feelings or morals can change Truth, we are living a lie. It is in our need to twist the facts to suit our needs where truth shines the most. It will make us uncomfortable, squirm and sneer. When we know the truth and elect to poison it, the reality is that we are the ones to become poisoned, not the other way around. Ironically, our attempts to change or conceal Truth, will ensure that Truth is that much more glaringly apparent.
It is most often that Truth is hard to swallow or places us in a predicament or conflict. So because it is easier, we choose the path of least resistance. It has become increasingly frequent that when faced with an unpleasant truth or a convenient lie, we take the latter. As a result, most are unable to live with principle, because their principles are for sale. Truth has become subject to the whims and whines of the emotional prattle of others. How often have you been told, ‘this is my truth’ or ‘well I feel differently” when presenting logical data?
All of this is a direct result of how we use the word. Truth no longer sits divine. It is a widely argued concept that, if you ask most people, is subject to backgrounds, perspectives, and emotions. What they are describing is not Truth. It is not provable and it is not repeatable. What they are describing, I have heard called subjective truth, but I find this to be incredibly misleading. Truth has no part in that conversation. That is opinion, it is subjectivism, it is emotion. It is NOT truth, by any stretch of the imagination.
So how do we differentiate Truth from Opinion? First, truth is truth whether we like it or not. It has no obligation for you to agree or understand. Truth is not subjective to your upbringing, background, expertise, or feelings. Second, truth is provable through physical or mathematical evidence. Third, truth is repeatable. If presented with the same facts and details without knowing the outcome, the outcome will be the same nonetheless. The sun rises, the sun sets, and the world blossoms in the spring. These are truths and they happen whether you like it or not. Let your arguments leverage this metronome to find its footing.
Let us stop abusing and bastardizing the truth. Place it back on its mantle and honor it as should be honored. When you are debating or discussing, use the proper words and understand that if what you are discussing holds any bearing from your personal beliefs, then it is not truth it is perspective, or opinion. Call it as such. Let truth remain in high regard as immovable.
