Oh god; it's the first assignment and I'm expected to delve right into the subject of truth and if the truth quotes had inspired my mind. How coercive.
I do admit though, I don't mind talking about the subject of truth; it's just that this kind of subject is one I have already discussed amongst myself and believe that, as important as it is, it's not worth all the time in the world to pick apart and showcase under a microscope. I think topics such as world relations or new technologies that would help further mankind are worth more time to pick apart than a concept that people should already inherently understand and actively live by. BUT, I will try to go through this anyway.
The 'concept of truth' is important in itself because it's a guideline followed by people in order to keep their souls guilt-free and further simplify life around them. For most people, truth is the ideal that they will abide by just because it is easy to follow through with and it's smiled upon by the 'socially correct/ ethically elite' amongst populations. But what if fiction is easier than truth; meaning, what if lying is easier than truth, or if it's more necessary than 'truth'? What if you need to lie in order to keep a more cohesive, happier reality? Here are some examples of what I mean: what if you're girlfriend asks you, as she squeezes her slightly larger-than-normal butt into a dress, if it indeed looks big? What would you say? Or, what would you do if your mother asks you one morning if you snuck out of the house the night before when you were grounded, but you did it only in order to help out a crying friend? What would you tell her then? Or even a little more personal: what if your baby brother asks you why your dad left home a year ago and hasn't come back? Would these be appropriate times to apply 'truth'?
I do believe that there are times and places to use 'truth', but it isn't necessary doable all the time, or can even be considered an option. One of the quotes on the truth quotes page, the Clarence S. Darrow quote, “The truth shall set you free...”- what if it can't? I mean, define 'free' in this instance: if I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place where lying will leave me with a slowly rotting soul or truth will leave me with losing everyone I love, would truth really be that worth it?
And then I look at all the quotes one more time. Collectively, all these truth quotes honor and praise the value of truth, but honestly, who came up with the conclusion that we're better off with it? Sometimes, perception is better than reality. And, as one famous quote goes, “perception IS reality.” As much as I do believe in the system of keeping truth and honor, I don't believe that truth should be sitting as high upon the pedestal it does before other alternatives (namely lying) are weighed out against it.
