Baron Ponders

As a teenager, I came to understand that many people wanted to persuade me that they were right and enlist me to their cause in one way or another. When evaluating their claims I realized that certain arguments had a “ring of truth.”  That is, they resonated in my mind with a sweet, rewarding satisfaction. I understood that these arguments were true. 

Being a scientific minded little fella, I soon became uneasy. Why was it true? Where did this “common sense” come from? Through introspection I came to realize that those who spoke things that aligned with my preconceptions evinced this ring of truth.

That is unsatisfactory. I wanted to know the truth, not just those things that aligned with my preconceptions. I wanted a better way to filter among those who would persuade me. It seemed that I should be persuaded by logical truth presented in precise language. 

There are many things that are true that we can express in language. They are grammatical. Math is simply a deeply rigorous grammar, and is most excellent for expressing the truth of concepts. But not all truths can be expressed that way. There are many things we know that are true that we cannot articulate. This does not diminish the value of these truths. They are, in fact, essential.

We are not computers. Though we possess a capacity for grammar, it is not our primary means of perception or expression. We holistically integrate our learning, emotions, history, and preconceptions into our understanding of truth. This is called an epistemological truth. We obtain, through every means available to us, what we understand to be true.

Some people call this “relative truth.” Dismissing it as deeply suspect if not eternally damning.

And, truth be told, there is another kind of truth, an absolute truth. This is also called objective reality, that is, the reality that exists separate from our epistemological process. Most sane people do not doubt the existence of a reality separate from themselves.

So, what we have then is an objective reality that is known by each person through their epistimological workings. That is, everyone perceives objective truth through their very human, relative way of knowing.

Does this mean that we should give up the idea of truth, everything is relative so everything is ethically and morally sound if we want to do it?

Nope. What it does mean is that we must understand that others percieve things differently than we do. It means that we are predisposed to accept as true the statements of those who are culturally similar to ourselves, regardless of its objective stature.

Now we come to you. You are desired. You are desired by those who would count you among their number. They will do anything they can to have you. This is because you are their means to power. This is most obviously present in politics, but is also present in every other aspect of life, including religious groups, work life, family factions, etc.

They want you to believe them, they want you to side with them on the pertinent questions. They want you to speak for them. They would like your heart and soul to be in their camp.

Because this is power. Power to do what they want to accomplish. It’s not evil that they want your soul, your soul is at stake every time you decide what to what to devote yourself.

Now the question of perceiving the truth becomes very important. In the case of work, if you are persuaded to say, join a union because of their appeal to your cultural assumptions, and not due to the actual situation, then your livelihood, the work culture, the company itself is all at risk. In the case of politics we face questions every day as to the economy, liberty, privacy, and even life and death.

It seems there are factions on every side, and they want you. They want you so much they have studied you carefully, and found your emotional buttons. They know what to push. In the last 10 years, they have become even better at this.

You become a puppet. You shout their slogans, you cry their tears, you advocate against yourself because they have made you feel their pain.

You have lost your soul.

How then can one be involved in any endeavor without being lost?

You must learn to take what you perceive and articulate it. Say it. Out loud. Talk about it with someone else. Talk about it especially with someone who disagrees with you. Don’t subject yourself to abuse. Be unfailingly polite. Anyone you converse with should do the same.

But talk. Get it out there. Recognize when your buttons are being pushed, and use your ability to articulate to understand your stance. Don’t just rationalize, think things through.

Take that ring of truth and throw it in the fire. Every day.