Expressing the Truth
Truth in inter-human relationships is a wide topic. However, it can be analyzed starting from the basic individual to individual interaction. I am of the opinion that truth is a necessity and a privilege in a relationship. However, it is important to define truth.
The human mind is a complex mechanism, and the information that reaches it is translated differently from one individual to another. Our senses are gauging differently the stimuli we receive from the environment so the result of what we experience greatly varies. Moreover, much of the information that we are exposed to surpasses our perception threshold and is never computed. Sometimes, the truth is too relative to be reliable. Consequently, the idea of honesty is relative too.
In a relationship, people try to experience one another’s universes and to walk a common path. Therefore, an accurate representation of their inner understanding of this path, of their value systems, and of the life experiences that influence their thinking is crucial. This is the only hope that different individuals can sustain a shared life experience.
In spite of their best intentions, some people are unable or unwilling to express their thoughts eloquently, thus creating a misrepresentation of their inner universes. Furthermore, this information is subjected to the listener’s own mental screening which can lead to vastly erroneous conclusions. This is an outcome that the parties involved may recognize only in time, as a result of repeated communication breakdowns. However, communication between people is likely to improve with prolonged exposure to one another. The silver lining is that people can learn to understand each other’s truths. This is why I strongly believe that truth is a privilege and an incentive for enduring relationships.
All these factors can be extrapolated to wider social interactions. I find that the same intricacies apply. In mass communications there are too many risks associated to revealing unpolished truths, which can create serious and irreversible social phenomena. Sometimes politicians, as well as other influential people, creatively use this side effect. Humanity made an art of efficient mass communicating. The whole point is to convey a picture that represents the truth as most people would understand it, and generate a common vision. Many times, these communications sound very differently from what would have been expressed initially. Very often, they only contain fragments of information. Which brings me to the initial challenge of defining what truth is, a philosophical question that remains unanswered.
