It seems that our society has decided to disregard most forms of truth. Instead of standing for what is right and what is true, society will manipulate the truth to cater to the emotions and feelings of others. The more we choose to sacrifice the truth for others feelings and emotions, the more we approve of a reality that is nowhere near real. When reality becomes too distorted, humanity will become a people of destructive habits and society will no longer be able to properly function.
So what is “Truth”? I consider truth as anything that has been tested and proven over time to be true. For example, the sun will rise every morning, if you jump off of a cliff, you will fall to the ground, or putting your hand on a hot stove will burn your hand. Now, these may be simple examples, but each of these have been tested and proven over time and are considered truth. Here’s another one: A biologically born male is a male and cannot be a female without a medical procedure. The same applies to a biologically born female. This is truth.
Can truth be questioned? Absolutely. However, how we question the truth determines our willingness to accept it or not. Utterly denying the truth because we don’t like it doesn’t mean we question the truth. It just means our feelings got hurt and we are not mature enough to accept it. The proper way of questioning truth is to use the scientific method. Start with a question, research everything you can about your question, develop a hypothesis, test your hypothesis, try and prove your hypothesis wrong, draw a conclusion, and report your findings. Have others check your work for fallacies and accept what you find. PS…your feelings don’t matter when questioning the truth. To ignore truth is to give up integrity.
Truth isn’t what we say it is. Truth is proven through testing and time. Truth doesn’t change just because we don’t like it. In other words, truth doesn’t change based on how we feel about it. So what happens when we cater to the feelings of others rather than speak and hold to truth? The answer is we help develop a false sense of reality which in turn leads to destructive habits. Psychologist Dr. Victoria Dunckley said, “Seeking artificial validation not only results in addictive, destructive behaviors, it also displaces the very experiences that would otherwise offer us authentic validation.” Bottom line, when we allow feelings to trump truth, we blatantly encourage delusional living.
Truth should NEVER be sacrificed to appease the false reality of others. With a society struggling with multiple forms of mental health, all we do when we disregard truth for feelings is continue the problems we have with mental health disorders within our society. If we truly care about other people, we should compassionately and respectfully speak the truth no matter what; especially if we are working with youth. Anyone who ignores truth and facts to appease the feelings of others is hindering more than helping. Ladies and Gentlemen, truth is not always easy to swallow, but that doesn’t mean we ignore it.
No matter who you are, who you work with, or what you do, do NOT sacrifice the truth to appease the feelings of others. Stand strong, be honest, be compassionate, and live with integrity. And as always…stay humble and serve well.
Selfless Leadership Is Purposeful Leadership 