The Struggle for Truth ...

True or False by Scott Kim

What is the truth, and how do we distinguish truth from falsehood?  It is not easy to answer this question.  Some even argue that there is no such thing as objective truth.  Faced with such a dilemma, some settle for what they already believe in, while others keep seeking the truth.  Which camp we are in depends largely on how we are brought up.  I think that the journey is much more interesting than the destination, and hence I hope to be able to not settle and keep the sense of wonder alive.  Another related question is what is Justice? There is a very interesting course at Harvard University on this very subject, namely Justice.

Eshgh is Love

Let's get back to the subject of truth.  More often than not, what we consider true, real, factual, or even just is shaped to a considerable extent by our prejudices, biases, beliefs, perceived interests, conditioning, and perhaps even pure fantasies.  The late philosopher and radio host Alan Watts explains this very clearly in here.  The dominant culture we are brought up in has a major influence on how we perceive the world around us.

As Persian Sufi mystic and poet of the 13-th century, Rumi put it:

This can be roughly translated into English as follows:

I think he is talking about the same phenomena. We would not have clarity of mind if we are so filled with our prejudices and preconceived notions, and “know” that we are right.  I read a wonderful quote recently attributed to Andre Gide which goes like this:

Peace on Earth

On the very rare occasions when I have the right balance and the clarity of mind, I can see that seeking the truth and seeking to be corrected is much much more important, fun and interesting than arguing that I am right.  But of course, like everyone else, I am prone to my own biases and prejudices. And while under their influence, I seem to be more interested in proving that I am right.

There is an overwhelming array of study and research on the mechanisms the public mind can be shaped and manipulated.  Here are some of the fascinating and very illuminating documentaries and talks that I have come across on this very subject:

• Manufacturing Consent - Noam Chomsky and The Media
• Noam Chomsky on The Political Economy of the Mass Media, Part-1, Part-2
• The Century of Self, BBC4 Documentary, Part-1, Part-2, Part-3, Part-4
• Michael Parenti Lecture on The Struggle for History

For those more textually inclined, I would recommend the following:

• History as Mystery, Michael Parenti
• Lies My Teacher Told Me - Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, James W. Loewen
• Propaganda, Edward Bernays
• Public Opinion, Edward Lippmann

For those who might be interested in a much less academic (though not necessarily less fascinating ) treatment of these subjects, I highly recommend Steve Roberts' wonderful collection of essays entitled Cool Mind, Warm Heart. His main message is "Everything is a Gift!"