Truth Is in the Eye of the Beholder in the Mis-Information Age
Stay curious in this time of crisis!
When I was a young boy, following altercations with one of my seven brothers, one or the other would run to my parents crying. As with most parents, the priority was to establish the facts to attribute blame and punishment. I would always give a detailed account of every comment and action that led up to the incident. And my recounting had more information than my parents had the patience to bear. “And then he said, and then I said” became the running joke.
Despite the story being my version of the truth — likely biased towards my innocence or justification for any wrongdoing, my parents just stopped listening, inflicting the same punishment on both of us. I was trying to give my parents the complete picture, which should include all details connected to the outcome (although the length of my story often correlated with the level of guilt!). Now I am older, I’ve come to learn that the truth has many faces, and the contrarian in me can often be found switching arguments depending on the audience. On occasion, motivated by mischievousness, but more often by my desire to examine a topic from all angles.
The COVID-19 pandemic that has swept the planet has provided an incredible amount of contradicting information, and trying to remain informed has been painstaking but worthwhile. Strategies to stop the spread, and the perceived dangers have varied dramatically from country to country, even state to state. Everyone supposedly being guided by experts and data, and of course, having their respective populations at heart. The truth is a long way from being defined and is changing daily.
It’s made me realize that seeking the truth on any issue doesn’t have an endpoint. Even more so in the modern era, where information has never been more accessible. It is both a blessing and a curse as my curiosity can send me down rabbit holes that are hard to dig out! And discerning the quality and reliability of the information has never been more challenging. Denzel Washington once insightfully noted that “if you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do read it, you’re misinformed”.
What does truth mean to you? That which you consider real, that which is verifiable or that which is fact-based?
As a society, we have many accepted facts, either established in recorded history, through scientific experimentation or mathematical equations. Those most commonly accepted in our time would include the earth being round, gravity keeps us grounded, and that over 7 billion people are living on our planet. On a more personal level, it would be true that I am alive, breathing, and typing at a computer. It all seems so simple.
The concept of truth is much more complicated, with conflicting theories to determine its true nature, both pragmatically and philosophically. Truth can be both concrete and abstract, linguistic or non-linguistic, directly perceived or indirectly validated. In many instances, it can even be non-verifiable.
Such is the case with our limited understanding of this new strain of the corona-virus. Fatality rates vary widely due to the different tactics employed and the commitment to testing. Even more concerning is the accuracy of the recorded cause of death. There will most likely be a significant spike in mortality rates associated with pneumonia, for example — rather than being marked as COVID-19. Upon further reflection, it seems the reverse is true here — whereby health institutions are financially incentivized to attribute as many deaths as possible to COVID-19.
In this age of misinformation, of cynicism, with facts and counter facts, it seems everyone has their version of the truth. And they are holding onto it. Defending the “truth” has become a sport in that allegiance is often declared in advance of the outcome. We protect positions, rather than facts. Although counter-intuitively, the internet and the vast access to information has been a significant contributor. As well as polarizing and partisan news broadcasting often prioritizing being first, rather than being right.
We can validate almost any held view within a belief system to a greater or lesser degree through a quick online search. The moon is made of cheese, the earth is flat, and we are living in a simulation. All of these will be the perceived truth to some people. So, we can say that truth is different from facts, and accepted facts are not necessarily accurate. Is it true that New York is north of Miami? Or is Miami south of New York? Depending on your location, you will most likely frame the sentence one way or the other. In essence, both are true but are fundamentally different statements that lead to the same reality, and in this case, easily verifiable.
The truth it would seem, is far from black and white, and far from shades of gray. What is real for you may not be for me, or what is true today may not be tomorrow. How can one simple word, with such powerful connotations, be so slippery and convoluted? Some say the truth will set you free, but then for something so nebulous, is it even worth seeking?
The only truth we could (almost) all agree on right now is that we are witnessing one of the greatest tragedies of our lifetime, on a scale not seen for more than a century. Overwhelmed health systems, collapsing economies, and broken supply chains mean the pain will likely be prolonged. Perceived injustices will abound. One might argue that prioritizing a 21-year-old needing an ICU bed over an older patient needing the same care as a major injustice — given the former may have been infected through partying at spring break. In contrast, the latter may have been storming Normandy at the same age.
Modern society is standing on the shoulders of the generations that came before us. The old are among the most vulnerable and have sacrificed the most to get to where we are today. It’s a terrible predicament for the doctors across the world to have to make those types of decisions.
The contrarian in me asks what good can come from this? Incredibly, I foresee this being the catalyst for a paradigm shift. More specifically, concerning the truth that people’s lives are more important than the economy. And it will, in the end, call into question the motives of many of our leaders and institutions, and the level of trust we freely hand over.
I think now, more than ever, people will realize that truth is in the eye of the beholder, and in this age of misinformation, the responsibility lies with you. Continuous validation of the most critical issues and understanding the motives of our sources has never been more important, nor more accessible. It does not come prepackaged in a 5-minute news bulletin and is a marathon more than a sprint. Seeking the truth should be aspirational in the same way that perfection is understood to be unobtainable, but still worth pursuing. The facts are always changing because the world is ever-changing. It is the act of seeking the truth that might set you free, if you can humbly accept that it might never be fully attained.
“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise” (1 Corinthians 3:18).
Curiouser and Curiouser,
Dominic Moran
