Facts, Fiction and Other Funny 'F' Words
Truth bombs from Tom Waits, George Carlin, Thomas Sowell and more.
Matthew Galgani
We all have the right to our own opinions, even those we may mistakenly believe are facts. And to paraphrase the old adage “careful what you wish for,” careful what you believe to be true.
Or maybe a better way to say that is, “careful what ‘facts’ you choose to fiercely defend” — and which factions we choose to join.
As Tom Waits said, “There is no such thing as nonfiction. There is no such thing as truth. People who really know what happened aren't talking. And the people who don't have a clue, you can't shut them up."
When we stop to really think about it, how much of what we believe we know is actually true? And how much should we let our truth become our identity?
Incredibly Stupid
As George Carlin said, “if your ideology becomes your identity, congratulations. You’ve officially screwed yourself.”
Why?
“Because when that ideology gets challenged,” Carlin observed, “you don’t hear disagreement. You hear an attack.”
That leads us to build a protective bubble in the form of an ideology that we defend at all costs, “even if it makes you sound incredibly stupid.”
Few among us can avoid getting defensive when someone or something starts poking holes in our protective psychological armor.
I’m as guilty as anyone of such a shoot-back-first, self-reflect-later approach. And, yes, that reaction all too often dishes up a healthy serving of humble pie that, on reflection, can leave me feeling “incredibly stupid.”
An Obvious Fact
As Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthor Conan Doyle said, “there is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.” Especially one that meshes nicely with our own beliefs.
Why challenge such a fact — or let anyone question its truth?
It’s easier to side with a familiar faction than explore alternative views that challenge our own set of ‘facts.’
I’ll end this rant with two more quotes on this theme.
Isaac Asmiov: “People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of use who do.”
Thomas Sowell: “It takes incredible knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.”
Related:
Are We the Baddies?
Devilishly Entertaining Tom Waits Lyrics