What Is Truth? Come On, Don't Be Coy...You Know

There are two types of people in the world:

Those who believe there are two types of people in the world, and those who don't.

And by accepting this, we are sucked into a paradox ~ can you be an adherent of the second type, while at the same time not being an inadvertent member of the first? Does your belief in the idea of there being many more than just two types of people in the world automatically change if  presented in this particular dictum?

No, of course it doesn't.

There are Four Types of Truths, and your belief in this instance is considered part of the lower tier Truth ~ Personal Truth. Personal Truth is a conclusion obtained though your individual learning, experiences and perspective. "The Chicago Cubs are the best baseball team in the world!"

Moving upward on the ladder, the next two levels are Social Truth and Human Truth, which reflect what are considered as true to specific groups, and species, respectively. While neither of these are yet Absolute Truths, you can see there must be a much larger consensus than just your own personal belief for any Truth to be accepted in either category.

Then, sitting atop all of those, up on the highest step, you have the ultimate. The king. The undisputed. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present, Universal Truth! (applause, applause)

Universal Truth is what anyone with a functioning brain knows to be correct, because it can be proven to be so. Universal Truth wins every argument, so don't even try. Really. You're just going to embarrass yourself.

Universal Truth can solve any advanced math problem. Go on. I dare you.

Universal Truth also has access to every YouTube clip ever uploaded, so insisting you never called Grandma a pain in the ass at the Christmas party of 2007 is a losing proposition, because the footage exists on Universal Truth's iPhone.

To say that Personal Truths are trumped by Universal Truths is an understatement.

Personal Truth:  "The Chicago Cubs are the best baseball team in the world!"
Universal Truth: "Wanna see their record for the last hundred years?"

The only case where Personal Truth, and it's two other cousin Truths, are not destroyed by Universal Truth is in the matter of taste. By adding a personalization to your belief, you shield yourself from harm.

"I believe the Chicago Cubs are the best team in the world!"

And why is this so? Simple. Because personal belief is not fact! You can believe they are the best, but if you try to substantiate it, you will be beaten down hard by concrete facts. Similarly, you cannot say, "The capital of Florida is DisneyLand." That is not even a belief, and points will be taken away from you.

That seems logical, right? Unfortunately, that's not where we are as a country nowadays. Over the past few years, Personal Truth has somehow magically, and incomprehensibly, surmounted Universal Truth. People, (politicians, mainly), can say anything they want, regardless of the facts, and an ever-growing segment of the population believes them.

Politician: "The economy is getting worse."
Universal Truth: "Here are some charts, graphs, and calculations that prove it's getting better!"
People: "Eh. We believe that first guy. He looks like me, and we share some of the same opinions on
social issues."

The economy. National debt. Equality. Civil rights. The right to choose. Torture. Who caused what to happen, and who didn't. A person's birth certificate, for chrissakes! These are all examples of issues with verifiable facts. Facts that are conveniently ignored for the sake of personal gain.

Large numbers of people abandoning the Truth in favor of Taste is an invitation to disaster. It's said that the taste of anti-freeze is quite pleasant, but the truth is, it will kill you if you drink it.

It's admirable, and entirely expected, for individuals to have a personal sense of taste. There's nothing wrong about that. But don't allow your personal tastes to obscure the Universal Truths that are out there. You don't have to like them, but you must accept them. And once you accept them, you can fight them honestly. That is the only way we can advance as a society.

To act in any other way is disingenuous. And an outright lie.

That's the truth.