Truth: What is it?
The truth is what indisputably happens, down to the very last detail. Sometimes people are presented with the truth, and sometimes it must be uncovered. The truth comes in many forms: often ugly, sometimes beautiful, and occasionally life-changing.
It is impossible to say that truth cannot exist: there will always be a truth, but whether or not anyone will ever know what is authentic will depend on who bore witness. This then begs the question: is truth and authenticity something humans should always see?
Sometimes, only the universe witnesses reality, and sometimes the witness is honest, but many witnesses have reason to lie. In many cases, people’s lives are based on truths that they simply accept, but are these truths authentic? The facts that people are often told to believe may be the real truth, but sometimes it’s a falsely constructed reality that is accepted because it’s more comfortable.
The existence of Santa Claus serves as an example of a fallacy that many children have been brought up to believe. Many children express shock upon learning that Santa isn’t real — no longer could this false reality fascinate them. On a darker note, most citizens living in North Korea believe that they are living in paradise, under the rule of a benevolent god. This notorious example demonstrates how distorting information can change what is considered truthful, and construct false realities for many.
Although truth exists, many obstacles stand in its way. To protect children from a harsh reality, to exert control over others, to cover up wrongdoing, or to hide one’s insecurities — these are only a few of the reasons that the truth may be hidden.
When lies are told, or the truth is stretched, such misinformation can snowball if it is not stopped in its earliest stages with a bit of skepticism. Journalists must be the investigators and seek to uncover the truth, no matter how ugly — that is their duty. Everything that is heard must be taken with a grain of salt, and every “truth” must be investigated, as reality is determined by what is considered fact.
