Is the Truth Important?

By -
This American Life show retracted
Last weekend the radio show This American Life issued a retraction of a program they broadcast in January. "Mr. Daisy and the Apple Factory" was an excerpt of a one-man show. Mike Daisy, a self-described "worshipper in the cult of Mac" went to find out first-hand about the working conditions of Chinese factory workers. I was not the only one who found the story powerful. Daisy is a great storyteller. The show was the most downloaded in This American Life's history.

Then it was discovered that many of the elements of Mike Daisy's story are "a mix of things that he just heard about or researched." As in: they didn't happen to him. As in: saying that they did is not the truth.

In his interview with This American Life host, Ira Glass, Daisy defends his work, although he admits it's inappropriate for a journalistic radio program: "I stand by it as a theatrical work. I stand by how it makes people see and care about the situation that’s happening there." In other words, even though it isn't true, it makes people care. And therefore it's ok. In taking this attitude, Daisy has plenty of company: the news is full of politicians, authors and talk show hosts who've fabricated "facts" to evoke a strong reaction. More disturbing is that these public figures don't seem pay a price; apparently lying to make a point is no big deal.

Is the truth important? Of course it's important. The truth is radically important. It's insanely important. After all, if you can't distinguish truth from reality, isn't that a definition of insanity?

We can all distinguish truth on some level, and know that truth is better than untruth. Consider:

Your girlfriend tells you she really loves you. It evokes powerful feelings. How would you feel if you knew it was a lie?
Your best friend says she is late because she got a phone call from the doctor and she has cancer. You forgive her, of course! Would you feel that way if you knew it wasn't true?
Your son tells you he got an A on his test. You release him from being grounded. Of course it matters if it isn't true!

Why do so many of us want to accept, then, that sometimes a lie is ok? Perhaps they feel, as I do, that seeking the truth can be confusing, nuanced, and sometimes even futile. Religion, global warming, drug claims, health care, gun control, economic recovery - all of these and many more are vital issues that affect our daily lives. With such a dizzying flood of facts to puzzle out, isn't it more comforting to bask in the glow of a strong feeling, negative or positive?

As for why people lie, I think there are two main reasons: People lie to get something ("I'm 21"), or they lie because they don't want to admit some reality about themselves ("I'm 39").*

Mike Daisy admits to both these reasons when confronted by Ira Glass:  "Did you ever stop and think: okay these things aren’t true, and you have us vouching for their truth?" Daisy admits that he was afraid that the producers would find out the story wasn't true, and he felt much of the story was the best work he'd ever made. In other words, first he lied to get his story on the air, and then he lied because he didn't want to admit that his best work was based on a fiction.

Saying the words "I lied," "I didn't tell the truth" can ruin your reputation and make people think less of you.  But it's often more difficult to handle facing the truth about yourself. It's easier to build a story about yourself that skews your motivations, or events, or both, and then build another story that, when found out, calls the lie by another name.

To test this theory, try a simple exercise:
Think of a small, inconsequential lie or omission you've made recently. Maybe it's why you were late to work, your reason for refusing an invitation, or why you're returning something to the store. Now sit with yourself. Imagine you're with someone who will forgive everything you say (this part is important). Explain why you lied. Keep going. Don't stop after the first reason. Why do you need a cheaper price? Why do you need someone to think it wasn't your fault you were late? If you can approach these questions with curiosity rather than judgment, you may find you learn a lot. It may be uncomfortable, but all humans are so highly fallible! You have plenty of company!

Most of us don't pay the consequences for lying in the public way that Mike Daisy has. Nevertheless we live with those consequences when we turn away from the truth about ourselves. When we know more about ourselves, we can be more effective in our actions, taking control of our lives, and being more open and fearless in our interactions. If you don't believe me, try it! And let me know how it goes!


*Excluding of course, lies that are to protect you or someone else - although even these can get slippery pretty fast.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Make a "Rush" Woven Seat Chair Using Old Jeans (or Fabric Scraps)

By -
Image
I used the technique for weaving a rush chair seat to make a chair seat using old jeans. The antique ladderback chair is just the right height for me to practice my Québécois button accordion. Fabric Choice Although at first I considered using t-shirt strips (also called tarn), I decided to jeans because denim is stronger and not stretchy. I had some old heavy linen fabric that would have done the trick, too, but I didn't have enough for the whole chair with either linen or jeans. I decided not to mix them, at least not for my first chair. I was advised, (correctly!) by other crafters, that all I had to do was out the word out, and I’d get donations. I sent out 4 emails and literally went shopping and there were two pairs of jeans on my doorstep. I had five more pairs by the weekend. (Now I need another chair!) Some Pointers Before I describe the process, here are some pointers. I don't recommend doing this with a stretchy fabric. Therefore, if you use jeans, avo...
Read more

Keep One Point

By -
Image
I've been slowly but surely writing of a series posts devoted to each of the  four basic principles of Kokikai Aikido . One of these is Keep One Point to Develop Calmness. We spend about 90 minutes in each aikido class, and most students practice once or twice a week - only a small proportion of the of hours we are awake each week. It may be plenty of time to spend doing a demanding physical exercise, but we need to spend more time working on the underlying principles for them to become second nature in our bodies. Fortunately, all of the basic principles are easily practiced at any time, not just in class. We can easily practice finding and keeping One Point while off the mat, and test the results when we're back on the mat. What Is One Point? One Point is a concept closely related to your center of balance. Centuries ago martial artists discovered that if the mind is focused on keeping this point low, one becomes stronger and harder to move. In Kokikai, we first...
Read more

What is Ki?

By -
Image
The concept of Ki , or lifeforce, exists in many cultures. In Chinese it's Chi or Qi , in Sanskrit,  Prana . In western culture, while we may say someone has a soul that is distinct from their physical body, the soul is connected to the individual.  Ki, as it is understood in Japanese culture, is a universal force that permeates everything. Individuals may manifest more or less ki, but it is a connecting force between everyone and everything. In Japan, ki is an everyday concept that's found in many common phrases . For example the phrase "O  ki o tsuke te," which means "take care," literally means, "apply ki ."   "O genki desu?" the most common way to say "How are you?" means, literally, "Do you have ki ?"   "Ii k imochi," a phrase heard often, particularly in popular songs, means "(What a) good feeling." "Ii" means "good" and "kimochi" literally means having, o...
Read more