TRUTH TO SELF

Truth, Olin Levi Warner

Mankind has progressed through many stages in our development including the hunter-gather age, the agrarian age, the industrial age and now the information age.  I think its safe to say that we’re now deep into the digital information age and our lives are overwhelmed with information that we sort into our true and false in boxes.  At no time in our existence does this become more apparent than during an election year—the year 2020 that we would all probably like to request a do-over! 

Solomon was one of the wisest human beings to ever live and he assembled a book of wise sayings called Proverbs, including Proverbs 12:17

“He who speaks truth tells what is right, but a false witness, deceit.”

The sculpture of Truth depicts Truth holding a mirror in one hand up to a snake in the other.  Snakes have historically been associated with some of mankind’s oldest rituals representing the dual expressions of good and evil.  Which will be rightly reflected?  Its important to note that believing a statement doesn’t make it true.  Thomas Aquinas succinctly stated that “Truth is the conformity of the intellect and things.”

David Eagleman writes in his book Incognito that mankind had believed the earth was the center of all creation around which all things revolved until Galileo Galilei peered into a telescope that he had designed in 1610.  Galileo observed that Jupiter had three moons that revolved around the planet, giving rise to multiple centers.  Instead of receiving his just accolades this genius was brought before an Inquisition and placed in shackles on a dungeon floor.  Not everyone appreciated the new found truth.

Eagleman follows this remarkable story by introducing us to the newly found truth that “we’ve been knocked from our perceived position at the center of ourselves, quoting Carl Jung, ‘In each of us there is another whom we do not know.’  Or as Pink Floyd put it ‘There’s someone in my head, but it’s not me.’” 

The latest revelation in brain science is that our subconscious efficiently controls the majority of our response to our existence while our consciousness is “far out on a distant edge, hearing but whispers of the activity.”

BRUTALLY HONEST

Honesty, Internet Domain

In my later years I’ve found (like most grown children) that our parents were much wiser than we thought when we were growing up. The wisdom we have since learned came mostly in the school of hard knocks with my parents’ words echoing in the background. We parents try to shield children and younger adults from the slings and arrows of the world by sharing our wisdom, but unfortunately it’s generally learned the same way they learned it. But not always and it’s been written that we don’t have enough time in a lifetime to learn it all, so it is wise to reference wisdom books like Proverbs and mentor with wise people to save us a lot of grief—if we’re willing and have the incentive to do so.

The book of Proverbs was primarily written by King Solomon who was quite probably the richest and wisest man that ever lived. Solomon wrote and compiled these wise sayings early in his reign to share his experience and to help us live good lives. His proverbs on honesty are spot on and show that a man who tries his best to be honest in his interactions with others will ultimately score one of the most precious things in life that is hard won and easily lost—the trust of others and the trust of our Creator. He informs us that God detests dishonesty (20:10) but delights in honesty (11:1) and those who are truthful (12:22). He is pleased when we do what is right and just (21:3) and councils that it is wiser to be honest because “a righteous man escapes trouble” (12:13).

Dishonest gains are seldom lasting and are really of no value to those who receive them by deceit. And most people ultimately appreciate truth more than dishonest flattery. My mother repeatedly told me that “if you don’t have something nice to say about someone, it’s best not to say anything”. I’ve since found this to be true in most cases, but sometimes your silence betrays you. And sometimes it’s good to speak up to right a wrong even if it puts you in jeopardy. There may also be moments when it may not be such a good idea to be brutally honest. Like the wife who complains while looking in the mirror that everything is either going south or leaving completely. And the husband replies that at least her eyesight is still good!

I recently ran across a three panel cartoon that illustrates the point perfectly. The scene apparently involved a young woman that is being interviewed for a job by a three member panel of company associates. I’ve been on both ends of that interaction all too many times. And there were many times when I had to bite my tongue and harken back to my mother’s words to remain silent or at least parse my words. One of the classic interview questions that goes around is to ask the prospective candidate to elaborate on any of their perceived weaknesses. That’s a delicate question to field. And one should tread lightly and deliberately. Like, “Sometimes I’m too hard on myself”. That’s something we can all relate to and isn’t too toxic. The irony shared in this cartoon is that it deals with honesty (and character). So the final panel which I didn’t share was the young woman’s probable, brutally honest, final response of the interview; “I don’t give a damn what you think!” Be careful out there.