Skip to main content

'I am The Truth'

Truth has always been subjected to subjectivism and denied any objectivity! This ofcourse pleases those who set standards for what is right and what is wrong and truth is judged according to these standards. We are thrown aback with a deluge of  lies so that standards are inverted and lie becomes truth and truth lie. This is surely not a modern phenomenon we already have a metaphor from the 9th century in the form of Mansur Al-Hallaj. Even if most people do not know the whole story of his trial, imprisonment and subsequent execution, we all know he stood up for truth. He is a symbol of truth. Hussain Ibn Ali before him in the 7th century stood up in a similar way with a handful of people by his side to show that truth was objectively true and there was no such thing as a subjective truth. Hundreds, thousands, millions or a billion people believeing in one thing which is not true does not make it 'their way of looking at things' and 'true for them' and subjectively true.
Having said that there are problems in proving to anyone the objectivity of truth. This world and everything we see in it is a reflection of our imagination and since that imagination is created, even before we are born, by number of factors, it is very hard to find arguments for truth. It is much easier on the other hand to argue about the subjectivity of truth. In this regard what is different from 7th and 9th century in our 21st century is this explosion of media and communication. Imagination is created from the earliest moments even in unborn children in their mother's wombs who are exposed through their mother's thoughts influenced by television and other means and later while they are put in front of televisions to watch 'children programmes' to keep out of their parents way for a 'while'. How will these kids distinguish between right and wrong when their conscience is handed on a platter to be molded or worst, overwritten by the media. We become puppets in the hands of media barons. Repitition of lies or half truths become the reality and truth and that which is not said often enough or not said at all becomes a lie. In a globalized world where humans cannot cross borders except after stringent checks information floats easily through porous borders and the world is made to see one version of what truth must look like! This becomes the standard and since our hearts and minds are already influenced we absorb this standard willingly. We see things as black or white, either on x-axis or y-axis never as grey or on z-axis. We choose from set of options given to us and never see that there might be other options not given in that list.
I think we need to look for truth not outside but inside us and not be afraid of sounding foolish by saying so openly. 10 million references on google or a million fans on facebook does not make something which is not true true, true?

Comments

Anonymous said…
This is very interesting and true as well. We have long forgotten about what is original and genuine. Even the very own and personal thoughts would have been inculcated in us through some mean that consiously we are unaware of. But interestingly going through your third blog, I see that even you have not been able to free from yourself from the dictates of all these sources and they also have been able to make your impressions :)
9 April 2011 at 07:43
مایون said…
Thank you for your comments. If you do go beyond the third post you might be able to see in some of the other ones that it looks at the other side that of the 'modern', 'liberal' and 'enlightened' approach and finds many things amiss in that. I do consent, though you haven't brought it up' that much of what I have written is a part of the discourse, a reaction to what is going on. That, i think, is inescapable and also needed to look at how we should be looking at the same things. The play is the same but the parts have nuanced characterization.
9 April 2011 at 13:17
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Choices...

Everyday we make choices. Big choices, small choices, green choices, important choices, insignificant choices....but we make them without realizing that we have a choice. So many times the choices we make are not real choices but are made for us by forces outside of us. First and foremost we are persuaded by advertisement, through billboards, pop ups, television, newspapers or by advocates who have already realized their power to choose. Without educating us they advocate for their choice and we are swayed. Strong advocates for atheism, going vegetarian, going green, going organic, the list goes on. Then there is a modern and current sway which catches us unawares. You are caught in the domino effect and don't even realize your own conversion. And its a strange conversion because you always were what you suddenly start claiming but now you have to define your self, you cant choose to live in the border area, you have to declare. Not only that you have to now start defending your po...
2 comments
Read more

2022 as a Watershed Moment in Climate Change Discourse

 When history is written, 2022 will be seen as a watershed year when all predictions by climate scientists will be seen to have come true and in public eye!   The year began with a scorching heatwave in March across India, Pakistan with temperatures crossing well over 40C. Temperature of 49.7C was recorded in Nawabshah in Pakistan. These temperatures were the highest ever recorded in March in this region since records began in 1901.   In Bangladesh, from April to July, the country was hit by the worst floods in its history, killing more than a 100 people and displacing millions. According to news reports, most people died from drowning, snake bites and lightening. When the floods hit in April the rice crop was standing in the fields and only half ripe. For a country of 160 million that relies on rice to feed its people further disaster awaits in the guise of crop failure and famine.   https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/flood-in-bangladesh-death-toll-...
Post a Comment
Read more