the Truth

to true myths

This post follows the post from last month, True and False. A short review is in order. One plus one equals two is true. It is not the truth and is not even in the Universe of Truth. A helpful invention, however. Truth is Truth. Truth is a presence devoid of all illusion, and illusion is devoid of Truth. They are not opposites. Neither exists with the other, however. Illusions require a defense to support them. Truth needs no defense.

True and false are together, like hope and hopelessness, good and bad. We tend to see or 'buy' one and either miss or ignore the other. They are the same: two sides of a coin, the front and back of the hand. When both sides are removed, what is left is a clearing where Truth may enter. The coins of the realm are fiction believed true and often claimed as truth.

What you already are is familiar—being scared, sad, upset. That's what you call "you." Anything else is unfamiliar. Unfamiliar is awkward and embarrassing, so you'll take anything familiar, even if it's destroying your life.

If we are clear, we see a blue circle or an orange square because we are on the other side of this picture. We are unaware of the different screens and will argue for what we see to our death. What's worse is another screen between us, and this screen, which is not depicted here, affects this screen's view. 

"Now we're going to talk about the truth. The truth about the truth is that it doesn't mean anything. It's just the truth. People do occasionally stumble into the truth. Sometimes they fall over the truth. But they invariably suck the power out of it, the truth-value out of it and turn it into an empty shell. And they do that by trying to make the truth useful. The truth is useless. I mean that the truth does not justify anything. If you stumble across the truth or had a flash of insight, and you use it to explain something, if it was true, it's now not true, because you've taken the truth out of the context in which it exists, which context is useless, and put it into a context in which it cannot exist as the truth, which is "use." The truth is useless. It gives no prescriptions. None. It's never the basis for a rule, never the basis for a prescription. The truth is useless. So anything you're doing based on the truth is based on bullshit. You don't use the truth; the truth uses you. If you want to have a relationship with the truth, be a place for the truth to go to work. Don't try to use it, because when you try to use it in any way, it loses its truth-value. If you want some evidence for that, look around the world, and the places where you'll find the greatest destruction, the most evil—those things were done in the name of the truth." - Werner Erhard.

What is true takes on many forms. Let's dissect myths first. 

The truth cannot be a myth should be obvious. However, myths, fiction, or misconceptions can sometimes influence people's understanding or interpretation of the truth, leading to confusion or misinformation. The truth would not make you angry, but a myth suggesting the truth will generally upset you. When you are upset, look for the myth causing the angst. 

A myth can be considered as the truth in the context of cultural or religious beliefs. In some societies, myths are regarded as historical or religious accounts that explain the origins of the world, natural phenomena, or human behavior. While these myths may not be scientifically verifiable, they hold significant cultural and symbolic value for those who believe them. Therefore, the truthfulness of a myth depends on the cultural or religious context in which it is interpreted. In other words, believing a lie makes it alright if your culture says so. The myths of control and hierarchy do a fine job of keeping populations under their thumb. 

"The heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact. The old myth of the Dying God, without ceasing to be myth, comes down from the heaven of legend and imagination to the earth of history. It happens - at a particular date, in a particular place, followed by definable historical consequences. We pass from a Balder or an Osiris, dying nobody knows when or where, to a historical Person crucified (it is all in order) under Pontius Pilate. By becoming fact it does not cease to be myth: that is the miracle." - C. S. Lewis.

Myths shape our worldview, providing explanations for the unexplained. They evoke emotions, create a sense of identity, and foster a shared cultural understanding. By appealing to our feelings and cultural heritage, myths can persuade us to accept certain beliefs or behaviors. That's just the way we do it here. 

"As naturally as the ruled always took the morality imposed upon them more seriously than did the rulers themselves, the deceived masses are today captivated by the myth of success even more than the successful are. Immovably, they insist on the very ideology which enslaves them. The misplaced love of the common people for the wrong which is done to them is a greater force than the cunning of the authorities." - Theodor Adorno.

Myth is a traditional story or narrative explaining a particular culture or society's beliefs, customs, or practices. Myths often involve supernatural or divine beings and are usually passed down through generations by word of mouth. They can be found in almost every culture worldwide and serve various purposes, such as explaining natural phenomena, teaching moral lessons, or reinforcing cultural values. Fairytales like Grimm and Easop were likely stories finally put into the print of the day. 

Myths can take many forms, including creation myths, hero myths, and trickster myths. Creation myths explain how the world and everything in it came into existence, while hero myths tell the stories of great heroes and their adventures. Trickster myths, on the other hand, feature mischievous or cunning characters who often outsmart their opponents. The myth inside the myth is the concept that we can only play the hero, villain, or victim and have no other choices! Every movie and TV script tells us it's so. 

"The most important question anyone can ask is: What myth am I living?" - Carl Jung.

Myths can be powerful tools for understanding a culture's worldview and values. They can also provide insight into the human psyche and our universal experiences. Myths are not factual or historical accounts. Instead, they are symbolic representations of the beliefs and experiences of a particular culture or society. Read any newspaper. Once you remove the classifieds, where you know you should be suspect, all there is to read front to back is myth after myth. And you believe them. 

Numerous fiction genres allow us to view the present without sticking to the facts. The amount of myth in the world today is not less than before. Allegory and metaphor are ways to use myth to sell nonsense and lies, to cover the fear and loneliness most of us were taught to swim in.  

"'Love is a myth,' Grandfather Trout said. 'Like summer.' 

'What?' 

'In winter,' Grandfather Trout said, 'summer is a myth. A report, a rumor. Not to be believed in. Get it? Love is a myth. So is summer.'" - John Crowley.