In the era of this pandemic zeitgeist, ‘truth’ has become more elusive than ever thanks to a constant barrage of media propaganda and censorship efforts. Views expressed by those who believe them to be the truth have been censored and removed from various news and commentary platforms, thus revealing one of many inconvenient truths about truth itself.
For example, one inconvenient truth about truth is that some people value truth and some people do not – a source of genuine polarity and division between peoples everywhere. But another inconvenient truth is that each side of that polarity claims to be on the side of truth and accuses the other of lies and misinformation.
To determine truth in an objective manner, it is necessary to be able to discuss differences of opinions in an open and free forum so that all participants may validate or refute facts and narratives on the basis of available evidence and reason.
Perhaps the greatest inconvenient truth about truth is that without freedom of speech, discovering the truth is next to impossible. But this is inconvenient only to those who fear such scrutiny and their resorting to censorship is evidence that the truth is not on their side.
Lies and falsehoods spread quickly since little or no effort is required to verify their narratives. But truth takes a long time to be accepted because it must be learned and understood.
Truth is a consequence of real knowledge – knowledge that corresponds to both reality and reason. And in that context, consider the implications of Ayn Rand’s observation that “the truth or falsehood of all of man’s conclusions, inferences, thought and knowledge rests on the truth or falsehoods of his definitions.”
In other words – no matter how inconvenient – it is critical that we get our definitions Just Right or the truth will be forever elusive.
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