WHY THERE IS ONLY “THE” TRUTH

by J.G. Franklin

Objective truth is an indisputable fact. Therefore, the existence of “my truth”

and/or “your truth” are objectively and logically impossible. And neither your feelings

nor my feelings on the matter can negate that fact. That is an example of the truth.

Another obvious example of the truth is gravity. You cannot deny the existence

of gravity on Earth, regardless of how you feel. Granted there are lesser or greater

degrees of gravity that one can experience; and it is possible to escape gravity

entirely once you reach outer space, away from the more powerful effects of Earth’s

gravity. However, none of that negates the existence of gravity. The existence of

gravity then is true, whether you like it or not.

A further example of the truth is the fact that gravity is negotiable. Planes fly.

Why? Because we as human beings have learned to comprehend and negotiate with

gravity. Both birds and planes would suffer negative consequences if they stopped

respecting that knowledge and that negotiation.

The same goes for each of us. We can walk. We can jump. We can fly, and/or, fly

in airplanes. All because we consciously, and better yet conscientiously, comprehend

and negotiate with gravity.

Yet another, and perhaps the most fundamental example of the truth, is what we

call “original sin”. Whether or not you are religious, it is true nevertheless that human

beings are far from perfect. And since “absolute perfection” itself is unattainable, that

fact is also true.

A further logical extension of that fact is that ALL human beings, by default, are

hypocrites and cowards. Those who conscientiously acknowledge, comprehend and

correctly incorporate this truth are the ones that have the best chance of mitigating

the negative effects of this original sin in their lives and in their actions. The ones who

ignore it or refuse to acknowledge and correctly incorporate this fact as the truth,
however, are much more likely to be the worst of all people.

My point is...there is such a thing as the truth, which is, obviously, not a singular

thing per se but, instead, a collection of innumerable things (concepts, ideas,

principles, values, etc.) which can then be designated as a unitary concept; the

opposite of which would be untrue.

“The harmonization of the various provable perspectives of what is true

inevitably leads to THE integral TRUTH.”

I would argue that the greatest problem we human beings face is our irrational

fear of being thought of as “bad”. It is a fear that consumes us all daily. We care so

much about what others think of us that we live life for others instead of with others.

The word “with” implies collaboration. And “collaboration” implies “a mutually

beneficial situation”. This dynamic is universal to every single conceivable human

relationship.

This irrational fear comes from our lack of true self-awareness; which, in turn,

stems from our lack of acknowledgement of the universal truth that we are ALL

hypocrites and cowards.

Once this aforementioned truth is acknowledged, comprehended and

incorporated correctly – that is to say that we define it, put it in its proper place and

conscientiously keep it under control – we are then truly free to become the best

version of ourselves. That knowledge and true self-awareness is our true north. And as

such, it will inevitably be connected to and be an integral part of the truth.

Jordan Peterson focuses a lot on this very concept when he speaks of being a

truly virtuous person. The general sentiment can be described as such, “You cannot

truly call yourself “peaceful” unless you are capable of great violence. If you are not

capable of great violence then you are not peaceful, you are harmless.” An important

and a very relevant distinction to be sure.

Another way of saying this is that it is better to be a warrior in a garden than a

gardener in a war. Both Aristotle and Jordan Peterson talk a lot about this very concept
when they talk about how each of us can lead a good life. A good life is roughly

defined (by them) as a life with a true purpose and the conscientious exercise our

powers of reason and objective logic to better our lives in such a way as to better the

lives of others. In other words, helping others by and in order to help ourselves.

A very good example of our hypocrisy and cowardice – and thus our oddly

counterintuitive reluctance to lead a truly good life as previously defined - is our use of

the words “selfless” and “selflessness”. These are complete and utter bullshit words.

They shouldn’t exist at all precisely because the concept they engender is complete

and utter bullshit. It simply cannot logically exist.

If you think of any relationship where one party truly sacrifices his/herself for the

other - utterly and entirely, all while gaining literally nothing in return – the only

conceivable relationship that fits that description is a parasitic one. Name one time

when a parasitic relationship has ever been mutually beneficial?

Human nature will simply never allow any of us to be what we interpret as

“selfless”. The only possibilities that exist are both forms of “selfishness”. Either you

are selfish in the correct way or you are selfish in the incorrect way. There is, logically

speaking, no third option.

Everything in the preceding text is part and parcel of what Aristotle called

eudaimonia and what later generations, the Founding Fathers of the u.S. among them,

called “the pursuit of happiness”. It is important to note that the original phrase was

“the pursuit of property”!!! A very laissez-faire, free-market capitalistism-laced

statement in my view!!

I, personally, have stated the same concept thusly, “The point of life is to live

(meaning merely to survive) while the purpose of life is to live AND leave a positive

mark upon the world by using the talents with which you’ve been blessed. Too many

people focus solely on the point and forget the purpose.

Aristotle is talking about this very thing when he talks about “reason” and

“virtue”. Mere animals don’t have the power or ability to reason. They cannot exercise
virtue due to the fact that they cannot truly reason and make ethical choices and

virtuous decisions based on reasoned and objectively logical premises. But these are

all characteristics that every human being innately has. The issue is whether or not

they choose, conscientiously, to exercise them.

I repeat: those who conscientiously acknowledge, comprehend and correctly

incorporate this truth are the ones who have the best chance of mitigating the

negative effects of original sin in their lives and in their actions. The ones who ignore it

or refuse to acknowledge and correctly incorporate this fact as the truth, however, are

much more likely to be the worst of all people.

Therefore, the truth is that nobody is truly “selfless”. They are only and either

selfish in an ethical way or selfish in an unethical way.

Even Mother Theresa and so many others throughout history were not truly

“selfless”. They did, in fact, receive something in return for whatever they decided to

do. And that thing, whatever it may have been, was more valuable to them than the

suffering they had to endure to get it. It was NOT nothing. It had some value and was

quantifiable as such by each of them. Therefore, they made decisions that ultimately

led to each of them getting more of what they valued in exchange for the effort that

they believed was worth the sacrifice needed to obtain it.

If we could all, each of us, truly perceive, focus on and conscientiously keep in

mind this indisputably and fundamentally objective truth - at the beginning of every

discussion and in every interaction that we have with anyone else - we'd all be much

better off and the world would, indubitably, be a much better place.

J.G. Franklin

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