Truth

Truth can be used like a lie—manipulated, twisted, and selectively presented to shape opinions and decisions. But how can we cut through the noise to find clarity?

1. Truths Can Be Plural

We often assume there is one objective truth, but the world is full of competing truths. Different perspectives can coexist, with opposing views still grounded in facts.

For instance, the internet can be viewed as a source of great good, granting access to knowledge, or as a cesspool of misinformation and hostility. Both are accurate interpretations depending on your experience. Similarly, Amazon is demonized by independent bookstores but lauded by self-published authors. Its contributions to independent entrepreneurship and its market domination present two sides of the same coin.

Even historical figures embody this multiplicity. Richard Nixon, often criticized by progressives, also created vital environmental protections. George W. Bush is associated with the Iraq War, yet his administration sent unprecedented financial aid to Africa. Recognizing these nuances helps us understand the bigger picture.

Examples

• Internet pros and cons: access to knowledge vs. fake news.
• Amazon as a "money-making devil" vs. enabler for entrepreneurs.
• Nixon's tarnished image vs. his progressive legislative contributions.

2. First Impressions Mold Opinions

The first stories we hear about a subject often shape our perception, sometimes permanently. These selective truths influence our broader worldviews.

Take the quinoa craze in the mid-2000s. Early media hailed it as a nutritious superfood, sparking demand. Then came stories about the environmental strain caused by its export, painting it in a different light. Depending on what you learned first, you might value quinoa for its health benefits or criticize it for ecological damage. These first impressions tend to ripple outward, affecting our views of all "superfoods" or even larger economic and environmental topics.

Walter Lippmann aptly noted, "Our opinions cover a bigger space, a longer reach of time... than we can directly observe." This underscores how small seeds of partial truths can grow into guiding beliefs about the world and our interactions with it.

Examples

• Positive media on quinoa's health benefits vs. environmental harm reports.
• First impressions from reading glowing headlines or grim warnings.
• Early exposure influencing shopping and broader lifestyle views.

3. Truth Can Be a Tool for Influence

The selective sharing of truths is neither inherently good nor bad. It depends on the intent and context of the communicator.

Doctors often employ selective truths responsibly. Instead of overwhelming patients with complex medical language, they provide clear instructions for the next steps. Similarly, governments during crises may withhold specific details to avert panic and ensure public order. However, selective truths can also mislead intentionally, as in a Texas health booklet suggesting a link between abortion and breast cancer. While factually careful, this selective phrasing distorted reality, aiming to sway perceptions.

The tool of truth, akin to a double-edged sword, must be wielded with care to inform, not deceive.

Examples

• Simplified medical advice for patient clarity.
• Public announcements during epidemics omitting unsettling details.
• Texas's advocate-like but manipulative abortion booklet.

4. Advocates, Misinformers, and Misleaders

Three distinct types of communicators shape how truth is used: advocates, misinformers, and misleaders.

Advocates responsibly share selective truths for constructive goals, like a government official guiding citizens during emergencies. Misinformers, on the other hand, unintentionally spread half-truths. For example, researchers in 1991 wrongly claimed left-handed people die younger due to skewed generational data, though they later corrected this error. Finally, misleaders deliberately manipulate facts for personal gain, like Colgate-Palmolive falsely implying 80% of dentists recommended their toothpaste.

Understanding these communication types can help us determine whether a message is grounded in sincerity or self-serving motives.

Examples

• Advocates promoting public health actions (e.g., during epidemics).
• Researchers misinterpreting data on left-handed mortality rates.
• Colgate exaggerating research to boost credibility.

5. History Is Often Rewritten

Selective storytelling isn't just a tool for daily communication; it's also a powerful way to rewrite history.

Take Coca-Cola's pamphlet commemorating its 125-year history. It mentioned Fanta's post-war Italian popularity but omitted its origin in Nazi Germany during a trade embargo. More egregiously, textbooks in Israel exclude the 1948 Palestinian exodus, and Texan education downplays racism by omitting references to Jim Crow laws. These omissions or tweaks in historical records profoundly influence societal attitudes and perpetuate ignorance.

By rewriting history to fit modern narratives, corporations and states exert control over collective memory.

Examples

• Coca-Cola omitting Fanta's Nazi origins from its historical account.
• Israeli textbooks excluding mention of the Nakba.
• Texan curriculum framing the Civil War as a "states' rights" issue.

6. Morality Shifts Across Cultures and Time

What is considered morally right or wrong is deeply subjective, fluctuating between cultures and over time.

The ancient Greeks rejected the Scythian practice of decorating with human scalps, though the latter found it honorable. Today, the legality of gay marriage in some countries contrasts starkly with others punishing homosexuality by death. Similar shifts have occurred with drug use: while Victorian elites consumed substances like opium, modern anti-drug propaganda reshaped societal morals into a punitive stance that has only begun to soften in recent years.

Morality is far from universal—it evolves with changing societal values and power dynamics.

Examples

• Ancient Scythians vs. Greeks' conflicting moral codes.
• Increasing acceptance of gay rights across the West.
• Opium's normalization in the past vs. modern stigmatization.

7. Numbers Can Cheat Perceptions

Statistics are easily manipulated to support competing agendas. Without context, they can deceive rather than reveal.

For example, Australia and Canada report the world's highest kidnapping rates because they include parental custody conflicts, misleading comparisons to violent abductions elsewhere. Similarly, Sweden's high rape statistics reflect better reporting practices, not necessarily a higher occurrence rate. Even corporate figures like "7,927 mint leaves in a shower gel" sound impressive but lack verifiable meaning for laypersons.

Numbers are not inherently truthful—question how they’re calculated and what they omit.

Examples

• Misleading Australian and Canadian kidnapping statistics.
• Swedish rape incidence inflated by transparent reporting systems.
• Original Source's vague claims about mint leaves in its product.

8. Business Uses of Truth

The right truth can inspire workers and build strong corporate cultures. Leaders use selective facts to motivate and rally their teams.

Consider Barclays Bank, which often reminds employees of its Quaker principles, a selective truth used to combat its industry's tarnished image. Similarly, Ericsson emphasizes its legacy as a "technology pioneer" to foster pride among employees moving into advanced automation projects. Employers focusing on exciting opportunities instead of mundane downsides also boost morale for new recruits.

Leaders wield truthful narratives to give their teams purpose and vision.

Examples

• Barclays employees aligning with Quaker honesty values.
• Ericsson rebranding itself as an innovator.
• Motivating employees by focusing on opportunities instead of challenges.

9. Listening to Other Perspectives Is Key

When faced with differing opinions, the instinct to dismiss others as misinformed or unredeemable is strong. However, understanding their truths can bridge gaps.

A different worldview often arises from exposure to selective truths. For instance, someone praising or condemning industrial agriculture might reveal overlooked dimensions of the issue. By listening and analyzing competing truths, we can foster understanding and reduce polarization.

Acknowledging multiple truths doesn't mean forfeiting one's stance—it enriches it with nuance.

Examples

• Debates on climate change and its economic effects.
• Different regional attitudes toward controversial industries.
• Overcoming divisions through shared understanding of others’ experiences.

Takeaways

1. Question Numbers: Dig deeper into the context and calculation behind statistics before accepting them.
2. Understand Opposing Truths: Before dismissing someone’s argument, consider the perspectives and truths that shaped it.
3. Learn History Thoroughly: Equip yourself with factual knowledge to counter selective or rewritten narratives.