sqouija

This is just a lil essay I wrote, something to tickle your synapses a bit...


The Virtues of Truth Vs. The Joys of Perception

When faced with some of the more daunting trials of life would you rather know all the grim facts about what you face or formulate a perceived reality of your ordeals that lets you rest easier at night? This is a question that we must ask ourselves, sometimes every day. On one hand we have the truth, which is seen universally as a pillar of morality and justice, you can stand on truth because it is fact but sometimes, it is a bit hard to swallow. Perception on the other hand can be much easier to digest, human nature sometimes moves us to manufacture half-truths in order to avoid guilt or more easily comprehend a complex situation. The ultimate question is: Is ignorance truly bliss? That is what I intend to examine.

The truth. What is the truth? It is the facts; clearly cut out, concrete, and irrefutable. Having something proved is always a great thing if you are seeking for the proof to make assumptions or a hypotheses come to fruition. The truth makes things seem more corporeal, you can essentially reach out and touch or see something that is true. If you are faced with a crime or action you did not commit the truth can and will be your savior. The truth is the light at the end of justice's unforgiving tunnel then again it can also spirit your hopes away to the guillotine. Perhaps you throw a glass bottle from a moving car window onto the highway, you forget about it and assume or perceive that the bottle was swept clear of the highway or the shards of its breaking were ground down to nothing more then glistening dust. However, what if some time later another motorist passes that spot and has a fatal accident caused by your carelessness, then you hear about it and remember the ordeal, you may feel guilt or remorse for the ordeal as well as be plagued by questions like; Was it my bottle that caused that accident? Have I caused someone's death? Truth is not always an easy serum to drink; it can cause much mental discomfort.

Assuming something is true or perceiving it is a very convenient way to deal with many hardships. A misconception or ignorance as opposed to the truth lends a sweet sugarcoating to situations that are quite sour at times. If some situation, person, or thing is wronging you but the sort of wrong you are enduring is something you are oblivious to and not hindered by. Isn't it better to not know of this thing, better to not fret over spilt milk when fretting will not restore it to the glass? It is much more comfortable indeed. On the other hand when theories and perceptions are shattered by the truth it can be devastating; to know that all along what you held near and dear as truth was nothing more then a fantasy changes things in a very profound way, it takes away the sweet taste of ignorance and replaces it with bitter, concrete facts. Sometimes assumptions can become so real to a person that they masquerade as truth quite unnoticed.

Truth and perception do however go hand in hand and in many cases without the foundation or seeking for of one you have no reason to seek to prove or disprove the other. Truth is found when the veil of perception is lifted from one's mind. While perception fills the void that truth is meant to occupy. They can counteract each other and garble one another to the point where you cannot tell where one ends and the other starts. They are both very distinct but similar modes of thought. One is irrefutable but sometimes so hard to swallow that it is left in the cold for the favor of ignorance, while the other is easier to digest and sometimes personally more important. I ask again, is it better to stand on the raw, solid ground of truth or bask in the warming glow of peaceful ignorance, we may never truly know...