The trouble with absolute truths...
The trouble with absolute truths is that they eliminate the need for independent thought. Of course all absolute truths, divinely inspired or otherwise, must be interpreted, and those interpretations require independent thought. But how many people form their own interpretations and how many allow someone to interpret this absolute truth for them? That is to say – how many people think for themselves and how many allow others to do the thinking for them? I fear the later represents the vast majority.
I often argue that there is no absolute truth, but more importantly, I argue that it doesn’t matter. After all, if there is an absolute truth, it is going to be interpreted a thousand different ways – yielding a thousand different ‘absolute truths.’ These interpretations are constantly changing – many of the acts they once condoned they now forbid. They are in a state of constant flux with each generation ridiculing aspects of previous interpretations, believing theirs is the correct interpretation – the ultimate truth. This in mind, how is it that so many otherwise intelligent people manage to convince themselves (or be convinced) that this time it’s different – this time, they’ve really nailed it?
I have a feeling it has to do with a basic need to believe that we are somehow special – different from all others around us – “chosen” if you will. More on that later - this whole discussion reminds me of a great line from the movie “Hero” in which a very pessimistic Dustin Hoffman explains the idea of truth to his son:
You remember when I said how I was gonna explain about life, buddy? Well the thing about life is, it gets weird. People are always talking to ya about truth. Everybody always knows what the truth is, like it was toilet paper or somethin', and they got a supply in the closet. But what you learn, as you get older, is there ain't no truth. All there is is bullshit, pardon my vulgarity here. Layers of it. One layer of bullshit on top of another. And what you do in life like when you get older is, you pick the layer of bullshit that you prefer and that's your bullshit, so to speak.
I often argue that there is no absolute truth, but more importantly, I argue that it doesn’t matter. After all, if there is an absolute truth, it is going to be interpreted a thousand different ways – yielding a thousand different ‘absolute truths.’ These interpretations are constantly changing – many of the acts they once condoned they now forbid. They are in a state of constant flux with each generation ridiculing aspects of previous interpretations, believing theirs is the correct interpretation – the ultimate truth. This in mind, how is it that so many otherwise intelligent people manage to convince themselves (or be convinced) that this time it’s different – this time, they’ve really nailed it?
I have a feeling it has to do with a basic need to believe that we are somehow special – different from all others around us – “chosen” if you will. More on that later - this whole discussion reminds me of a great line from the movie “Hero” in which a very pessimistic Dustin Hoffman explains the idea of truth to his son:
You remember when I said how I was gonna explain about life, buddy? Well the thing about life is, it gets weird. People are always talking to ya about truth. Everybody always knows what the truth is, like it was toilet paper or somethin', and they got a supply in the closet. But what you learn, as you get older, is there ain't no truth. All there is is bullshit, pardon my vulgarity here. Layers of it. One layer of bullshit on top of another. And what you do in life like when you get older is, you pick the layer of bullshit that you prefer and that's your bullshit, so to speak.
-Dustin Hoffman as Bernie LaPlante in Hero
posted by Nicholas at 12:16 AM
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