A long rant (probably too long) about finding the truth
I first learned of the idea of verisimilitude when discussing The Things They Carried. My first thought was, dang, Tim O'Brien isn't that bad after all. In fact, I was pretty impressed by how effective he was at creating verisimilitude.
As I got to thinking, I realized that, in a way, we are all masters of creating the appearance of truth (wow my deepness really coming out here). Whether it's in coming up with the most convincing excuse for why you didn't do your homework or perfecting a social media feed, the idea of verisimilitude permeates our everyday lives. And of course part of the reason why we do this is because of the societal standards and pressures impressed upon us, but the reason of why we do it doesn't negate the fact that it happens - and a lot. (Just wait the societal deepness ranting keeps going from here).
Creating the appearance of truth isn't only present on the small scale. Take the news for example. Have you ever been left wondering after a news article if what you read was actually the real truth? Nowadays the media is so biased. Go ahead and name a news source off the top of your head, chances are they're biased in some form, whether it's left, right, or somewhere in between. It's a struggle to find a news source that's unbiased. Just writing that down makes me want to laugh because it seems so ridiculous.
It's even in the way we describe truth. Truth is "refreshing", "surprising", "unexpected." Almost as if truth is a rare, delightful treat instead of a right.
So, in a world where truth isn't simply shaped by perception, but we accept the perception of truth as a substitute for the actual thing, what do we do?
How do we find the truth?
For me, I find truth in honest conversation. There's something about looking someone directly in the eyes (but not in a creepy way) and simply talking face to face that breaks down barriers. I find that this is especially true in conversing over a meal. Somewhere in between the clinking glasses, hubbub of plates being cleared, and clashing silverware, honesty just naturally flows. Why does this happen? To tell you the truth, I really am not sure. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that food is pretty great in general and that type of greatness produces other good things. Or maybe it has something to do with a meal feeling more personal and intimate. Could it even be because in conversation we don't have time to create facades of truth? I could philosophize all day.
Whatever the root reason, there's something beautiful about honest, thoughtful conversation. Even when the people we talk to don't seem to be on the same page as us or opinions directly clash, having a candid conversation is still a pleasure to be a part of. Especially in those topics that are often deemed "touchy" or "controversial" (such as politics) I find that truth and honesty appears when we have the courage to talk about them in a honest but open manner. Of course respect and making sure people are comfortable is key, but there's definitely something to be said for being more open to having those tough conversations to see truth revealed.
Real footage of me reading The Things They Carried
As I got to thinking, I realized that, in a way, we are all masters of creating the appearance of truth (wow my deepness really coming out here). Whether it's in coming up with the most convincing excuse for why you didn't do your homework or perfecting a social media feed, the idea of verisimilitude permeates our everyday lives. And of course part of the reason why we do this is because of the societal standards and pressures impressed upon us, but the reason of why we do it doesn't negate the fact that it happens - and a lot. (Just wait the societal deepness ranting keeps going from here).
Creating the appearance of truth isn't only present on the small scale. Take the news for example. Have you ever been left wondering after a news article if what you read was actually the real truth? Nowadays the media is so biased. Go ahead and name a news source off the top of your head, chances are they're biased in some form, whether it's left, right, or somewhere in between. It's a struggle to find a news source that's unbiased. Just writing that down makes me want to laugh because it seems so ridiculous.
It's even in the way we describe truth. Truth is "refreshing", "surprising", "unexpected." Almost as if truth is a rare, delightful treat instead of a right.
So, in a world where truth isn't simply shaped by perception, but we accept the perception of truth as a substitute for the actual thing, what do we do?
How do we find the truth?
For me, I find truth in honest conversation. There's something about looking someone directly in the eyes (but not in a creepy way) and simply talking face to face that breaks down barriers. I find that this is especially true in conversing over a meal. Somewhere in between the clinking glasses, hubbub of plates being cleared, and clashing silverware, honesty just naturally flows. Why does this happen? To tell you the truth, I really am not sure. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that food is pretty great in general and that type of greatness produces other good things. Or maybe it has something to do with a meal feeling more personal and intimate. Could it even be because in conversation we don't have time to create facades of truth? I could philosophize all day.
You reading that last sentence:
Whatever the root reason, there's something beautiful about honest, thoughtful conversation. Even when the people we talk to don't seem to be on the same page as us or opinions directly clash, having a candid conversation is still a pleasure to be a part of. Especially in those topics that are often deemed "touchy" or "controversial" (such as politics) I find that truth and honesty appears when we have the courage to talk about them in a honest but open manner. Of course respect and making sure people are comfortable is key, but there's definitely something to be said for being more open to having those tough conversations to see truth revealed.
Hey Allison!! I really admire your brain a lot, so when looking for someone's blog to comment on I went straight to yours.. anyway. I totally agree with how you proposed that truth comes most naturally when maybe you're not even specifically searching for it. I find in life a lot that I get to know people the most when I have lots of secluded, one on one time with them to really bond with someone when they're maybe feeling a little vulnerable. Sometimes you have to feel a little uncomfortable to do something truly meaningful.
ReplyDeleteomygosh you're too nice! I love your point on not searching for the truth but then finding it - I didn't even think of that! I feel the exact same way about getting to know people one on one. :)
DeleteHi Allison, I find that image of news networks and their political beliefs really interesting. I think that perspective is crucial to understanding an event. For example, if a huge event took place, each news network might interpret it differently but both can be right (though some network may leave out parts of the story). I really like how you describe conversations. I, like you, also believe that conversations have some sort of magic to them and people are a lot less likely to lie when your face to face with them enjoying a meal or whatever the activity may be.
ReplyDeleteHey marz! I'm glad you found the image of news networks interesting - you're so right about the misinterpretations (or at least the range of interpretations) the media has. I totally agree with you about how magic conversations can be!
DeleteYes!! Allison, you are so right. Everywhere we go it seems like there is an alternate version of the truth. Just sitting at home scrolling through Instagram, it's hard to realize it's all a facade. I love your example about how news networks can change our perception of EVERYTHING! It's so hard to know truth from fiction nowadays which makes it even harder to know right from wrong. Your tips about having a honest conversation are so important and I really hope I can put them to good use. I'm ready anytime to have a philosophical conversation with you :). I love the insight you bring!!!
ReplyDeleteI'd also love to have a philosophical conversation with you haha! Truth and fiction in themselves are so nuanced - that's part of why I believe that it's so hard to distinguish between them.
DeleteHi, Allison. I strongly agree with the fact that we treat unbiased truth as if it is rare. I personally believe that our culture doesn't do enough to incentivize truth. The news networks, for example, don't care about the quality or accuracy of their reporting as long as they get better ratings from biased audiences. Intelligent and moderate political discourse is being replaced by more extremist views as both sides retreat further and further into their own echo chambers. We are bombarded daily with advertising that is specifically designed to deceive us in our perception of products. How can a society value truth when there is money to be made?
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point on the motivation of the media itself! Although the media is often seen as the whistleblowers for corruption, they have now become the corrupting influences themselves. The idea of echo chambers is something I've noticed as well. The news is no longer about perspective but about confirmation bias and the most entertaining soundbites.
DeleteWow Allison, your writing is amazing! I love how in every sentence I can hear your voice it truly brings your perspective to life. You are absolutely right, the pure truth is something that society has not seen for decades and especially in a political light, it is very hard to hear something without some time of bias associated with it. I personally have done some research on political partisanship and the bias that exists in various news platforms and I too came to the conclusion that there is no concrete way of finding the truth in its purest form. I love the way you took what we learned in class and created such a contemporary piece- great job!
ReplyDeleteHey Allison! I love your blog spot, it was funny but intellectual and all in all totally you. I though it was great how you began by talking about Tim O'brine and how he used verisimilitude and used that to transition into your discussion of the perception of truth and how difficult it really is in to find honesty when people give their own opinions and stories the appearance of news. I totally agree that the intimacy of conversing over a meal can add to having a honest conversation. Reading your blog post reminded of an article I read about how 50 percent of each of our individual memories are incorrect, distorted after spending so much time in our minds. That could possibly add to how sometime it hard to find the truth of what happened in situations.
ReplyDelete