Has Truth Ever Been Under Such An Attack Before?

My bet is yes.?Are you surprised??

Don’t be. As a history student, I can point to many eras and famous people who bemoaned the assault on truth in their own times—Cicero being just one of many. Share your own…please!!!

We also know that truth is not absolute. Truth and fact (also not always absolute) are often subject to filters…POV…culture…etc. Yet as much as truth can be played or tampered with, there is a boundary beyond which even the most mangled truth is not believable….or at least it once was.

It seems funny to me (and maybe to you, too) that despite the importance given to truth and the weight of truth in most cultures, what passes for truth is not always welcome on the giving or receiving end.

People hide from the truth, run from the truth, don’t tell the truth, twist the truth, ignore the truth, and on and on.

It’s easy to get caught up in the game. Sometimes, we close our ears…maybe from fear or lethargy or just plain stubborn contrariness…possibly hoping that what we don’t accept isn’t or won’t become real. That is...if we are the targets of truth.

The proof of this isn't in the pudding; it's all around us in the news today…

And...it's just as easy to rationalize our way out of the telling, too. What difference does it make? Why hurt anyone? What harm did it cause? It was really a favor….

Here is the insight: Absolute or not…. truth is as much about listening as it is about certainty. The trick to telling the truth, receiving the truth, understanding the truth, and filtering the truth is (drumroll, please)...to listen.

Listen. Don't just Hear. Listen.

Hearing is a passive activity. It is easy to dismiss what you hear. Listening is different—active listening (dialogue listening). Dialogue listening is a two-way street. The teller talks while the receivers listen. The receiver listens with all their senses, ensuring that nothing is missed, nothing gets by, and that all facets have been examined. Then, the receiver talks, summarizing what was just said while the teller listens. The teller listens with all their senses to make sure that what is being said has nuance, depth, and connection with the audience.?

Try it. It works in business, and it works with personal relationships. It works in the office, and it works at home.

However, there is one caveat that is a truth—not the truth (Oh boy!!!), and here it goes:

“The truth will set you free. But first it will piss you off! ” —Gloria Steinham

It ain't always easy, but the payoff is worth it.

What’s your view??