NATIONS thrive on the truth as it is the content of truth that determines the level of prosperity in a society. No state can survive where the supply of lie exceeds the demand for truth. Scarcity of truth causes the inflation of lie, recession in values, and eventually bankruptcy of morality. The only thing left is public putrefaction.
Individual liberty, free expression and speech, academic freedom and freedom of the press — all revolve around the nucleus of truth. Any suppression of the right to truth is intrusive infringement on the liberty of the individual. Even personal feelings, emotions and sentiments are some truth at large.
Societies don’t guarantee freedom of expression; they indeed assure freedom of truth. By ending this inalienable right to the citizens, a nation ensures its ascent to affluence. Truth is a great pathfinder, as it does not only lead alone, but commands too.
The age of enlightenment was a journey of truth. Creative productivity was unleashed as the society opened up to truth. It was the aura of truth, so to speak, that brought about the era of enlightenment, an intellectually charged soul-searching movement for reawakening the conscience of the people. Further, the age of enlightenment, through truth, bolstered our belief in power of reason. When reason was exercised freely, it emancipated the enslaved mind by shattering the ramparts of wealth, power and traditional authority, by supplanting them with bulwarks of understanding, knowledge and wisdom. Human reason was used to combat ignorance, superstition and “tyranny over the mind of man.” The domination of society by exploitative clergy and hereditary aristocracy was never challenged so defiantly. It was the triumph of truth and celebration of humanity.
Society acquiesced truth as a collective conscience of the Homo Sapiens, the only species gifted with reason, to sift sound truth from absurd lie. Now men could really enjoy the freedom of analysis, adventure and inquiry. It witnessed the growth of modern secularism, liberalism and humanitarianism for the political, social and economic well being of the masses. The enlightenment endued us with reason, research and regard for humanity, vital for human advancement.
Religions are messages in truth. Faith is nothing but the truth received. The device of reason led to the search of true faith. God was founded both on reason and faith. Reason shored up every facet of faith with logic. Thus, reason, though often denigrated during the Middle Ages, turned out to be instrumental in acquiring faith. Logic, for the first time, locked its horns with dogmas.
Justice is an objective judgment of right and wrong after deliberating truthful facts from ruthless lies. Truth is raw material for every principle. In dispensing justice, elusive and deceptive graduates itself into crystal clearness. Stagnation of truth in a society makes justice languish in the dungeons of fearsome oppression. For an entity, truth and justice ought to be closely allied.
Revolutions happen because people get tired of lies. Because truth is hope and hope wishes change, change for the better. Truth is therefore the real vehicle for social change. It stands like a rock before the great emperors of time. It never retreats to the dens of expediency, never compromising. The states trying to gag the truth have died their own death. Lie is a pervasive belief and a sure-fire recipe for disgraceful decadence.
Personal freedom ensures personal development. Even there, the factor of truth is a great determinant. Lie works as a voracious killer of inner human goodness. While charisma in personality comes from truth alone. Truth gives freedom of spirit from material drudgery. The element of truth makes a personality viable. “I must find the truth that is true for me ... the idea for which I can live or die.” Truth is the gift of virtue.
Although hypocritical alchemists invented money as a solvent of truth to turn this virtue into a sediment, it precipitates only to get skimmed up again. Honesty is the manifestation of truth; fortitude its incarnation; character its personification; simplicity its embodiment. People need courage not intelligence for truth. Truth doesn’t only turn a person bold, it makes him human, too. Poverty of courage and squalor of honesty are vices that render a society helplessly hopeless.
The difference between truth and lie is simple; truth is a discovery, while lie is an invention. Truth was never made in Heaven, it always existed. Lie is temporal, and truth perpetual. Truth is prudent, while lie expedient. Truth is the most exact science. It is tried and tested, even by the alchemy of treachery. Truth is fact, and lie is fiction. Truth is tolerant lie a bigot. The gravity of lie is always broken by the escape velocity of truth bound for Heavenly flight.
Truth scales summits, not for triumph but for visibility. It is always found on the tip of a pen or tongue. Truth never makes forts. It is never defending. Though lie chases truth, truth pursues its own course by staying on the straight and narrow. Truth is, consequently, the greatest sufferer in the world.
