"People say they love the truth, but in reality they want to believe that which they love is true."
-Robert J. Ringer
-Robert J. Ringer
So what is truth, really? Actually, truth is whatever you want to believe is true. Your definition of truth isn't the same as my definition of truth. Before you start arguing about it, let me explain. This is the dictionary definition of truth: the property of being in accord with fact or reality. So now, here is the definition of fact: Something known to exist or to have happened. And finally, reality: The world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them. Exist. The word "exist" is used both to describe fact,and to describe reality. And this is where fact, reality, and most importantly, truth, fall apart. Because once you finally get to the real question behind all of these words, it is, "What exists and does not exist?" Most of us have answers to this question, things we have decided exist and do not exist. The thing is, our answer will not be the same. I'm sure you know some people who think some things exist which you don't believe exist. There also are some things I think exist that you don't believe exists. And vice versa. Even though I have not met you, I know that, and you probably know that too. That is because we both know, although before now you may have never thought about it, this one truth: The "truth" that it's human nature to decide on their own truth. |
You may think, "But what we think is true doesn't mean
that it is, really. The truth is still out there, even if we pretend like it isn't. A lie is still a lie, even if you think it's true." That may be so, in a way, but first we need to realize where the idea of "truth" came from. Think back to earlier, when you were thinking of a way to describe "truth" to someone who had never heard of it before. If you've never heard of truth, you've never heard of lies before. And who invented lies? It was us. So if lies were made by us, truth was also a manmade invention. And since truth was made by us, is it really objective? No. Because the only reason we brought truth into existence was to fight the lies. The only reason we came up with the idea of truth is to say the others were liars. In a perfect world where there was nothing but the truth, truth wouldn't technically exist. So I'm not going to say that everything I say will be the truth. What I will say is that I'll try to make sure everything I say is as close to "true" as I can make it. I am a human, and I will make mistakes, and sometimes I might say something that is wrong, sometimes I might say things without realizing I'm letting my personal feelings get in the way. But I will promise something that most people won't, and it is that I will try my best to tell you only what is reality, and if I ever realize that I said something that wasn't, I will admit my mistake to you. That is the most that a human can do, and anyone who says otherwise is making a lying truth of their own. Because even though truth is almost always subjective, there is a way to get something that is closer to pure reality than most people know truth to be. Again, it won't always be THE Truth, but it will be closer than anything you can find. So to get the most out of anything, find out the best way to find the Truth, the closest way to an actual method of finding out reality: |