The Many Faces of Truth
JACK
We haven't done a posting in a few weeks, and of course that's been due to my medical problems, which fortunately are being resolved. I don't know what habit pattern everyone else has, but in my case my mind has been mostly busy with the affairs of the day, and the reality of the world. The deeper in thought I get, the more I realize that one of our problems is our tendency to think in absolutes. There are relatively few universal truths, rather our lives consist of a series of contradictions. Where many people consider there is one truth, I believe there are different versions that we need to understand if we are going to maximize our efforts.
HILLARY
In order to comprehend what you are saying, perhaps it would be useful for us to define what you mean by "truth".
JACK
There are truths with which you cannot argue. Two plus two will always equal four. I believe that we have it within our power to rationalize whatever we do, and use this kind of mathematical truth as a reason. Truth becomes very evasive when we seek motivation as well as results. The anatomy of complete truth is when nothing is hidden.
A friend of mine applied for a very important and high paying job. He thought he was uniquely qualified and even seemed to gain the support and the confidence of the chief headhunter. There were many applicants for the position (I'm sure this is mirrored around the country). The chief headhunter specifically suggested that he dig deep into his writing skills, and the history of his life, to create the most compelling job application possible. My friend called on writer friends and newspaper people to help him hone his qualifications, while in keeping with the real needs of the organization. In time we found out that our friend was eliminated early, and that the application was never read. When we analyzed why the job hunt was unsuccessful the obvious answer is that they were looking for someone with a completely different background. No one was lying, but the truth that would have worked would be my friend finding out at the beginning why he would be eliminated, giving him the knowledge to approach with an alternate campaign beyond an application. So truth becomes a question of degree, and a feeling of reality.
If one has simply an intellectual grasp, there is not enough depth to work with. I believe that if a friend is a friend he will tell me all he knows about something that is vital to me, and let me be the judge of what part of it will be used. Anything less than that is ineffective.
HILLARY
It seems to me that there are many different levels of truth. I'm sure your friend's headhunter was told to have people write extensive applications. It may just be that he was also told that people with particular backgrounds would not be considered. Telling your friend to write the application was true. That was the way to get the job, but the complete truth would have been to say, you're particular background will likely not be considered, but if you wish to do an application, this is what they are looking for. Then your friend could have chosen to pursue relationships, or other avenues to open their minds, rather than spending countless hours on an application that would never get read. A true friend wouldn't conceal a piece of truth like that.
JACK
We don't reveal everything we know. What we do reveal is part of our decision making process. The real question centers on why you are revealing these truths. If you are intellectually invested you may be satisfied to say, they are accepting applications and this is the number of words they are looking for, and this is the form it should take. So the "part" truth has been told, but the "whole" truth needs to be told. If your motivation is to try to get the job then he needed to tell the entire truth. If he's doing it simply to let you know that he is doing HIS job, then there would be an inclination to stick to the intellectual truth. The problem with real truth is that it gets sloppy. I'm always reminded of that great scene in "A Few Good Men" when Jack Nicholson explodes at Tom Cruise, "You can't handle the truth!" It is rare that people are advised to think with emotion, but the time calls for it.
HILLARY
So how is someone supposed to get the whole-truth?
JACK
This is even tougher than telling the whole truth. I have a few ways that help me determine this answer. Listen with the "inner ear". The inner ear not only hears what people say, but hears how people say it and what they mean. To get the whole truth, no question should be left unanswered; Always ask for more information. Understand the motivation, where everyone is coming from, and respond with a goal to get the information that you need for your own success. And remember the truth you want isn't necessarily the truth you get.
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I can recall the evidence class in law school when the issue was "what is truth". Is it a perception influenced by a lifetime of experiences or is it an absolute that perception cannot hide or change. A famous example used at one law school was the unannounced intrusion of a stranger into the classroom who within 20 seconds threatened the lecturer and then ran out the door. No one was anticipating the incident. The lecturer then proceeded to ask members of the class to identify the intruder. Of ten or more responses none were able to identify height, weight, clothing, whether a weapon was used etc. The actual truth was never revealed, only the perceptions of the witnesses which obviously were influenced by many factors in their lives. In the justice system where rules are devised to determine the facts of a "truth" what we get instead is someone's perception of the "truth" influenced by biases, prejudices, predeterminations. assumptions etc. It is one of the reasons people do not support the death penalty or believe uncritically media reporting or blog reporting, much of which is based on a particular belief system.
David Braun 06/26/09 @ 9:52 pm