Boyd Wilcox

Social media has reduced people’s worth into the number of likes, shares, and dislikes they receive. Other people’s approval, or disapproval, has now become a measurement of your worth as a person. “Facebook envy” is now even a real thing, so named by a study made by the University of Copenhagen. The study shows how many people develop feelings of self-doubt or jealously when scrolling through other people’s perfectly curated Facebook timeline or Instagram feed, while those who stay away from it feel more satisfied with their lives. Information    Connecting to social media gives you quick access to current events real time, but this does not mean that the information is true or accurate. Fake news is all over social media. Because of how easy it is to share to the world, one false article may be shared a thousand times over with no regulation, review, or fact-checking—and unsuspecting users will just fall for it hook, line, and sinker. We can’t deny its addictive nature, so we must remind ourselves daily to use it in moderation. If used in the right way, social media can greatly improve your life. When you use it too much or rely on it to define you or your life, it may end in tears. As with any moral conundrum, the choice of how much you’re using or not using social media is in your hands. Read the full article

Every ambition requires a price. Achieving what you desire in life may be possible, but be careful of the things—or the people—you need to sacrifice to get there—wherever that is. Webster defines ambition as a “desire to achieve a particular end.” Our ambitions may vary, but universally, we know that achieving what we desire the most needs hard work, perseverance, and sometimes, cunning. Some people spend all their lives devoted to their ambition. Take the most ambitious of athletes for example. They were probably born to fulfill a destiny, but it was not handed out to them on a silver platter. In fact, they work harder than most people to achieve that destiny, meeting failure from time to time, but keeping their eyes focused on their goal. The same is true for successful CEOs, innovators, and almost everyone who have reached the summit of their ambition. They did not get there on a helicopter ride, although now they can easily afford to get their own helicopter. Going up may have been different and an often difficult story because, no matter who you are, ambition comes with a hefty price. What it demands of you may be a little daily exercise, a consistent time with a coach, or going to school for a higher degree. Sometimes though, ambition needs cunning. There have been multitudes of ambitions achieved through betrayal, self-depreciation, lies. Many more may have been achieved through fraud, treachery and possibly the decay of moral values. We’re all familiar with the politician who set aside his principles for power. They’ve all heard of the woman or man who had to warm someone’s bed to get ahead in the board room or in the entertainment industry. There are officers of the armed forces who betray their own brothers in arms. The list goes on and on. No matter where on earth you are, these stories are marginally similar. These are stories of ambition that we frown upon, but they are as real as our own stories. Setting a goal is important, but there should also be time-lines and action plans, which will be your road map so you know where you are heading. It is important is to know what you are willing to do to achieve your desire or to achieve your ambition. You will be tempted to take shortcuts, but if it will set your moral compass haywire, will you do it? There are many get-rich-quick schemes, but if it involves lies, betrayal, or compromising your moral standards, would you stomach the means to your end? Some ambitions are equally demanding but of another very important commodity—time away from our loved ones. Some parents do not see their children anymore. Some are not able to give attention to their kids even when they are physically present. Needless to say, we must all make a living, lest we start begging on the streets. We need to make ends meet. We want to give our kids a chance at a bright future. All these things require money, and money translates to time. Hence, our time is devoted to making money and achieving the desired “good life“ for our family. In the meantime, we miss out on the daily moments that truly matter in life. We are physically drained so we are no longer emotionally available for our kids. Does this seem like the life we want to achieve? Perhaps we are looking so far into the future that we fail to experience the present. This is a sad reality. Ask yourself then what you are willing to do for success. Make a game plan and determine the things or people you are willing to sacrifice to accomplish your ambition. This is not a suggestion but is a must we all need to prepare before we set out for something because, again, ambition comes with a hefty price. Read the full article

If you can’t get your bills and budget down pat now that you are healthy and earning well, imagine how they will make you feel when you are old and without a source of income. It’s not going to be a pretty picture.  We have to face the truth that sometimes budget and common sense don’t always go together well. We keep on telling ourselves little white lies to justify why we bought that dress, why we splurged on the latest gadget, or why we deserve that fancy dinner. We convince ourselves that what we spend now you’ll make up for later on. We spend money but don’t have a clear plan where to cut back or how to earn it back. We always feel that we have enough time to save up for emergencies and retirement. We always feel that it’s okay not to have savings now or to invest right now. Most of time, we just don’t want to deal with money problems at all and just have faith that the next paycheck will be enough to tide us over, again, until the next one. Here are 4 of the top common lies we tell about money. 1. This is just a rough patch. There is always that one thing you have to pay for before you can start saving. This can be braces for your child, new furniture, car maintenance, or any other practical reason that we deem more important than saving up. What we need to remember is that life is full of unexpected turns and surprises, and that there will always be another “one last thing” you have to clear before you start saving. Don’t wait for that moment; it may never come. Save now. 2. I have plenty of time to prepare for the future. It seems to some that there is never a right age to start preparing for the future. We may say 20 or 30 is too young, and that we should take time to do all the things we want to do before we’re old. When you hit 40, it is not too late, but it will take much more diligence to save enough for retirement. Remember that the longer you delay, the harder it will be. 3. I deserve this treat. We all love to spoil ourselves. One bad day at work, one heartbreak, one disappointment, and you’ll feel it’s enough reason to splurge on yourself. That nice pair of shoes or that luxury bag may give you the happiness you need at that moment, but that happiness will be fleeting. Shoes will not secure your future, and that expensive lunch will not last you till the next month, so learn to say no to yourself, and yes to your future. 4. Bigger salary means bigger savings. If you don’t know how to save, no amount of salary will ever be enough. The key to financial stability is living within your means—not a bigger salary. The only way you can ensure your future is to stop lying to yourself and face the truth about how much you earn, how much you can spend, and how much you can set aside for your future. Read the full article

When you show your child what truth and honesty are, they learn better and faster. Indeed, it is true—the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. All parents must face the inevitable truth: kids lie. Parents have to face this truth and not be afraid of it. Much like adults, kids will always try to find a way to get out of trouble or to avoid any situation that they are uncomfortable with and they do this by telling a lie. What you have to remember is that this is a normal stage and you can guide your child through this important stage of their life. So what are the best ways to teach your child about honesty? Here are some inputs from experts: Model Honesty                 The best way to ensure that your kids value honesty is by being a good model of honesty. Be the parent who doesn’t take lying lightly, and your child will follow. Try to avoid giving mixed messages by lying about little things that you just don’t want to explain. For example: When a child asks for chocolate and you say, “I don’t have money,” and the child sees that you do have money but chose to say otherwise, they  may feel that it is okay to lie. Tell Positive Stories                 Telling short stories or fables, such as “George Washington and the Cherry Tree,” help promote honesty. Stories that promote positive consequences to telling the truth will be more effective in showing them that honesty is the best policy. While telling stories that talk about how lying is bad might still be a story about honesty, it may still be best to stay away from stories that highlight the negative consequences. Positive Reinforcement                 Children are more likely going to tell the truth when they know that truth-telling will have a positive outcome. Be sure not to reward any lies they tell to manipulate the situation and, more importantly, don’t punish children when they tell the truth. A conversation that discusses about why one thing is right or wrong is much better than any punishment. Discipline Calmly                 At one point, as parents, you may need to dole out punishment and discipline, however, harsh punishments do not necessarily ensure that the child will stop lying. It may prove more effective to discipline your child calmly and have a conversation, not a lecture. Letting them understand what they did was wrong will have more impact on them and will give clear guidelines on what is morally right or wrong. At the end of the day, the surest way to raise children in truth and honesty is by living in truth and honesty yourself. Read the full article

Every lie you make affects you emotionally and mentally. Sometimes lying is just not worth its effects. Indeed, what goes around comes around. People in this generation are stressed. Stressed from work, from relationships, bad choices, literally anything under the sun. We tend to focus more on the negative side of things, thinking that if we do, we lessen the hurt. We don’t. It will still have the same effect on us, on our health, on our well-being. That is why these days, people want to connect on a deeper level, wanting more substance than just casual fling. We want something that will last. We ask for transparency, for assurance, for trust. When we were kids, it was very easy for us to verbalize our thoughts, forgetting being kind. What’s important is we communicate what we see. When we grew up, we became more tactful with what we say, becoming more considerate of others feelings, of others perception of us, of the things we gain out of telling and/or not telling something. Eventually, we lie for reasons other than not hurting others. While there are some instances where it might be okay to lie, by nature, when telling a lie, you are keeping a secret. This is like a double-edged blade. It can hurt you and the other person you are lying to, mentally and emotionally. When we lie, we experience shame and guilt. Shame is about feeling wrong or bad as a person. This can destroy our self-esteem. Not being honest makes us question our character—“How did I end up in this situation?” “Why am I so stupid?” “Can I go back to the past?”  Lying takes a toll on us that sometimes we get insecure, because we can’t freely express what we want without having to deal with what others will say or think about us. We don’t get to socialize as well because we limit our interactions with only those we are comfortable with. Most importantly, we can’t ask for trust because we know that we can’t give it fully. Guilt, on the other hand, is feeling that we did something wrong. They wear us out emotionally and mentally, we tend to always watch what we say or do, because people might catch up. This can lead to anxiety. Lies needs to be maintained because people ask, so we cover up lies with another lie and the pile goes up. So we might start to isolate ourselves, instead of simply relaxing and going about our life. Lies demand that we keep a constant running list of who knows what and what we said to whom. And that can be incredibly isolating. Both interfere with our ability to feel joy and happiness and to be close with others. We tend to withdraw and fear that others would reject us if they knew the truth about us. Relationships are one of the main sources of joy, and withdrawing robs us of this support. Social withdrawal leads to emotional and mental breakdowns, which, more often than not, leads todepression. This is not a drill—this is reality. People kill themselves just because their lovers left them or their parents got separated or they got bad grades. These are just few of the effects of lying, so before you start with one lie, think it over. Is it really worth all the drama it’ll cause? Read the full article

When pressed for the truth, would you take the easy way out if you know the truth will hurt? What does your moral compass say about little white lies? We’ve all heard and said a white lie before, even the most honest of us. Whether it is about someone’s appearance, our relationships, or issues of national importance, all white lies are the same—they are lies made in order to diminish the effects of the truth. In this regard, would you consider white lies acceptable? Think of a girl or a woman struggling with self-esteem and weight issues. What do you say when asked about her appearance? Most would take the easy way out and make a white lie perhaps by softening the truth or completely avoiding the truth. It may seem harmless and even helpful to someone’s self-esteem, but the truth in this case is more liberating. Why not empower that girl or woman instead of making a white lie? Because the truth is, whatever her size, it’s who she is that matters. In relationships, men and women alike sometimes omit a bit of information or two to avoid fights or conflicts, but even the smallest things matter in relationships. In fact, it’s the small things that matter the most because these are the things that make people who they are, and if there isn’t complete acceptance, what’s the relationship for? For example, many women find shopping therapeutic and irresistible. Some men are accepting of this, and there are those who aren’t. If you are with someone who’d rather you don’t spend your hard-earned money on shopping sprees, instead of lying about what’s in your paper bag or the price of such and such that you bought, why not face the truth—Isn’t too much of something bad enough? Sometimes avoiding conflicts means avoiding real issues. The real issue here is too much spending and one partner who is unhappy about it. Issues like this don’t go away over time. In fact, they grow out of proportion and sometimes cause other issues. White lies then are more harmful in such scenarios. This may sound like a hasty generalization, but every person in power has exhausted this line: “What they don’t know won’t hurt them.” Indeed, it is true. But a public servant or a leader caught lying will lose credibility, and what is a leader without credibility? According to Psychology Today, white lies come from a sense of compassion. We don’t want to hurt or embarrass others, we don’t want to fight, we don’t want to worry others. White lies are not meant to deceive; however, when you have to keep on lying in order to sustain the little white lie, the lie might just spiral out of control. Before you know it, you’ve built something entirely out of lies. Before lying then—no matter how small the lie—use your judgment well and make sure you are prepared for the consequences of your actions. Every action has an opposite reaction—even the tiniest white lie. Read the full article

Man, at times, holds truth as a prisoner for a crime it never committed. These men are often the people who fight fiercely for justice yet imprison a significant truth inside them. Unfortunately, this irony has endured through time and has continued to stand as an impediment to the justice system. What good does it bring us to take truth as a prisoner of man? And why are people fond of imprisoning the truth? As we grow, we come to sights that do not bring us satisfaction. As a result, the desire to alter the things we cannot grows inside us. A first attempt at keeping the truth from those who concern it pushes us to the realization that we have the power to create another version of reality. Power, as we know it, is like a drug – highly addictive; And like drugs, detrimental to our well-being. By exercising this power, blindness gathers around the periphery until we are fully consumed by it. Little do we realize that imprisoning the truth also harms us: The conscience suffers and the inner peace, disturbed. Also, this suffering does not end until we set the truth free. Therefore, if you wish to become a proficient liar, you have to be loyal to the lies you made; you have to endure the suffering of your conscience. To prevent this suffering, we have to accept the fate of all things. Oftentimes, our wishful thinking breeds to the desire to change the truth. Take things as they are and don’t let your wishful thinking take over you. The beauty of truth is only in grave danger if eager men surround it. Instead of appreciating its beauty, this eagerness drives them to the point of madness they want to own the truth and hold it as a prisoner of their own. They refuse to share it with the world and would create walls of lies to guard it. Let us appreciate the beauty of truth without wanting to possess or without wanting to change any aspects of it. Read the full article

One of life’s brutal games is the game of truth or lie. When truths are “unpleasant” and we have no power to change it, the urge to lie intensifies. If caught in the situation where people ask you for the truth, what would you give them, the truth or lie? Which do you think would hurt more? When we were young, one of our greatest fears was telling our parents an unpleasant truth. For example, a teacher gave us a failing grade. On the way home, panic makes us wonder how painful mom’s disciplinary action would be. The thought of the impending danger invites the temptation to lie. However, our better judgment tells us otherwise. More often than not, the better judgment wins and we live to suffer mom or dad’s wrathful, disciplinary actions. Sometimes, the fear of the impending pain overwhelms us that we end up lying. When it’s the latter, the conscience suffers and we find ourselves in a disturbed state. As the burden grows too heavy for our heart, the already expired truth would demand release and therefore the pain doubles. Not only do we suffer from the physical pain but also from the internal pain for bearing the burden for too long (which is more painful). Well, that is if your parents hit you. As we grow old, we come to sights that are more unpleasant than failing grades that also comes with graver consequences. Choosing between telling the truth and lying can be emotionally and mentally exhausting. If the truth is unpleasant to us, our mind goes through possibility A to Z. Fear makes grand of what is insignificant. With a clouded mind, we often resort to lying because we think it lightens up the situation. Resorting to lying may indeed lighten the mood, however, lies can only keep the truth for so long. When the truth — now overdue — emerges, the possibilities you imagine may just come to life. It is fear that makes the truth unpleasant. Truths carry with them lessons that will help us significantly in life. We often perceive them as storms with devastating impacts. However, these so-called storms wash our perspective anew and make us appreciate life more. Truth is beautiful. It may just take some time for us to see its beauty unravel. Have you read my article about The Philosophy of Truth? Read the full article

Dissecting the truth is a laborious task that may result in man’s changed perception of the truth. Hence, conflict may arise until a person or a group comes up with a logical argument about the truth. And how do we do that? Through the methods of Science, of course. However, the philosophy of truth is too complicated a matter that even the Scientific method won’t suffice. The ways of Science goes like this: propose a question; come up with possible answers (hypotheses); test the hypotheses; repeat the experiment many times; and, take note of the results. From this, the answer emerges and the hypotheses are declared as either true or false (right or wrong). However, a philosopher’s view of truth differs greatly. To philosophers, there are instances in which the Scientific method falters. In philosophy, the truth comes in various versions. Some people’s truths are confined to their beliefs, others to their pride. Religion and culture affect our perception of certain matters. Also, selfishness, pride, and insecurities often drive a man to create his versions of the truth. Both, however, do not affect the real truth. These influence only affect man’s perception of the truth. Moreover, man’s thirst for knowledge often leads him to discoveries that contradicts what has been declared as truth. A good example of this is the Geocentricism which indicated that the Earth was the center of the universe. It wasn’t until later knowledge, paired with technological developments, did Copernicus discovered that the Sun was the center of the Solar System and that there are planets revolving around it, including Earth. This is one of the most difficult things about truth: the truth we carry now may not be tomorrow’s truth. Such a thought leads us to contemplate if we have ever really grasp on the real truth. Science has helped us debunk many truths of the past. Even theories of truth such as correspondence theory and coherence theory of truth have their loopholes. Given that there are many theories which govern the truth, it only goes to show how determining the real truth is an existential challenge. The truth may not be as deep nor as shallow as we assume it to be, but perhaps we have stumbled over it and allowed the human mind to make something out of it. It could also be that our growing doubt for precision and exactness’ sake has caused us to miss the truth. “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.” Winston Churchill Have you read my article about Is there Comfort in Lies? Read the full article

How many times have you lied and have found contentment or comfort in the action? Was the feeling of contentment or false comfort in lies perennial or fleeting? Everyone goes through that phase in life where we lie for personal reasons. Some of us do it to escape punishments; others, to alleviate the fear for a certain truth; and a few, to trick or deceive. Lying may take its root from various reasons, however, it brings a feeling common to all: comfort. Yes, the comfort in lies, as we utter them, is that we may become so convinced of our own made-up lies. This false comfort, however, gradually fades and becomes a cumbersome matter to the heart. Lie-induced comforts are detrimental to the sound state of conscience. Once the comfort in lies fades, the conscience undergoes a turmoil until the truth emerges. What is in the comfort in lies that we choose it over the inner peace that the truth brings us? Lies can grant us desires but only to an inadequate extent from desires’ whole vastness. The promised comfort in lies is an illusion to cope with the “harsh” truth. Even if the truth remains undiscovered, we assume it as a harbinger of disappointment, anxiety, and fear. Since there is no comfort among those three, we automatically think that comfort lies in lies. Yet some of us persist on this coping mechanism despite being aware of this fact. Much as we want to focus on the lie-induced comfort, we can’t shake the feeling about what the truth might be. This feeling haunts our mind so much that it eventually becomes an obsession. Hence, our resistance to knowing what the truth is significantly weakens through time. Lies can force the truth to emerge. What good is there in denying the grandness of the truth? To be granted inner peace and knowledge is far better than to willingly choose ignorance and illusions. Take heart to know what the truth is and learn to enjoy the comfort of its reality. Have you read my article about Knowing the Truth: How Would It Feel? Read the full article

Knowing the truth is a human urge we cannot resist. When an air of mystery surrounds a matter, we naturally want to delve deeper into the matter and find out what the truth is. However, the thrill of discovering the truth stirs our emotion, especially if it’s a matter of significance. We may feel afraid, worried, excited, or happy. Yet when the truth becomes known, how would you feel? How would you handle the truth? For example, Linda feels sick yet she thinks her illness will pass after three days. However, her condition persists. She searches online about the possible diagnosis. Upon arriving at the search results, she panics because the diagnoses are too extreme. She reads the symptoms that perfectly matches the symptoms she’s experiencing. As a result, she self-diagnoses and refuses to consult a professional for fear of knowing the truth. Eventually, Linda’s paranoia has caused her worries and fear that she resorts to consult a professional. As she makes her way to the clinic, sorry thoughts fill her mind. Thereafter, the journey to discovering the truth draws to a close and all her emotions are becoming erratic. The fear, the worry, the dread, they all spike up. Upon consulting the doctor, Linda is relieved to find out that the diagnosis is a treatable common disease. Now that the truth of her condition has been discovered, all the fears and worries wash away, replaced with relief and calm. Some people, if not all, desire to know the truth. But when we sense that the truth has a trace of unpleasantness, we refuse to know it. Yet deep down, we know we want to know it. As a defense mechanism, we assume things and end up believing in our assumptions. Our brewing emotions, however, make us paranoid that the truth will have to be discovered inevitably. Whatever the truth is, pleasant or not, we have to face it rather than live with our assumptions. We have to stop the culture of keeping the truth for fear of the worst possibilities. See the positive side in truth’s discovery and only then you’ll realize the real beauty of truth. Have you read my article about The Dangers of Lies in Any Relationships? Read the full article

Lies with ill intent can potentially devastate the trust that holds a relationship together. A broken trust can be mended, although it may take a long while. There may be times when its brokenness is beyond repair; thusly, the relationship falls apart and all the shared memories turn sour. This is only one of the major dangers of lies in relationships. Trust is the foundation of all relationships. Once betrayed, the relationship suffers greatly. Sure, there are lies with good intent, such as to surprise a friend, a lover, or a relative on a special day. This kind of lie may strengthen the bond that connects you and the other person. However, lies with the intention to deceive or manipulate are detrimental to that bond. Ill intended lies include sharing half-truths, making up ambiguous statements, forcing interpretations of the truth onto another person, and keeping vital information to oneself from someone who has the right to know. For the longevity of our relationships, we have to be emotionally honest. We tell ourselves that we are honest, yet we shun negative truths, thoughts, and feelings rather than confront them. Consequently, we either end up lying for our own benefit or compromise to the point that we lose ourselves. The selfishness of the former will send a swift blow to the relationship’s trust, hurting our partner. The latter’s extreme selflessness, causes us to become willingly blind and allows toxicity to grow in the relationship. In the process, we nurture it until we feel the relationship slowly crumbling, nevertheless, creating relationship traumas, discouraging trust to sprout again. The danger of lying goes beyond the present, possibly destroying an existing relationship as its impact echoes into the future. The more we keep the truth to ourselves, the more we betray the trust that binds us with other people who are close to our heart. We must, at once, renew our perception on the truth of every matter and handle each one conscientiously. Have you read my article about On Truth and Lies: The Truth Never Abides to Lies? Read the full article

A discontented man’s desperation to take control over an unpleasant truth for his gains is sheer folly. When it comes to the alteration of truth, one should realize the limitations of the deed: A man only has enough power to create lies out of the truth and therefore manipulate his fellows or foes; however, the truth never abides by the concept of lies nor to his ill intents. As the famous Chinese proverb says, “No matter how the wind howls, the mountain will not bow to it.” Truth and lies are two things that we can never mix. Even if a man had convinced himself from his lies and therefore deem them as the new truth, the real truth remains unchanged. The truth is as innocent as a newborn child. Although it stirs various emotions, it never means anyone destruction nor happiness. What we make of it is all on us—a gem immune to the brilliance of alchemists. When people ask us “Are you ready to face the truth?” we naturally assume the worst thing possible. Fright takes over us even before truth’s revelation. Assumptions most of the time breed ill thoughts; hence, we wallow in fear and worry when someone asks that question. You see, the truth may favor the odds or go against them but it is up to us to accept the things we can’t change. For example, you failed to meet your boss’ expectations. As a result, you got fired. In this instance, disbelief and embarrassment tempt you to come up with excuses so that you won’t be in the wrong when others ask about your termination. Accept the truth as it is and you’ll eventually come to peace with it. You can bury the truth with all the lies you can make, but the truth will rise unchanged and un-abiding to our likes and dislikes. This is the honorable beauty of truth. Darkness can in no way abide in light more than a lie can abide in the truth — Boyd Wilcox Read the full article

When shackled, assumptions take over in the stead of truth. Assumptions are dangerous things for they breed a hasty growing fear or sorrow which disturbs the heart, mind, and soul. Baseless fear and sorrow make rainstorms out of sunshine. However, in the liberation of the gem that is the truth, we are blessed with inner peace. Differentiating Happiness and Inner Peace Considering that some truths are not favorable, one would confuse inner peace with happiness. Happiness is merely a feeling of pleasantness caused by achievement, success, and fulfilled dreams. On the other hand, inner peace is a state of mind, unaffected and unseeing between good and bad of a truth—there is only the truth. Some truths do not grant us happiness, especially if a desire or satisfaction is not met. For example, you are waiting for the results of the university exam passers. In so doing, the feeling of apprehension disturbs the state of your mind and consequently manifests in your actions. Moreover, your obsession to know what the result (truth) is prevents you from having a sound sleep. It is the day of revelation and you don’t find your name on the list. Disappointment and sorrow surge through you. However, the confirmation of truth has calmed a part of you and all the worries wash away. Disappointments and sorrows are fleeting and will eventually die down. After all, we are humans and are prone to have such feelings. Eventually, we’ll come to accept the verdict of the nature of things, finding a settled position of our mind, and therefore attain inner peace. The liberation of the truth serves a man his ultimate gratification. With a sharp perception, he sees it as a priceless gem, un-abiding and unswaying from any perspective. Although it stirs human feelings, the acceptance of the truth, as it is, grants inner peace. Perhaps inner peace is more important than all vain happiness combined, or it is, perhaps, the absolute happiness buried in human happiness. Read the full article

Truth, the fairest of gems need not be polished and buffed to shine, for it is glowing in its own right. Truth is priceless and is the brightest prize to which we should aspire. When searching for truth we may need to dig down to the depths or mount to the loftiest skies to find its gleam. There may be times when truth confronts us, and in its pure honesty, does not bear the shining gem. Truth can at times be harsh and real. You may be unhappy when the doctor tells you "the scales say you weigh too much" or relates to you the diagnosis of a serious medical condition. Should this happen, it is time to evaluate what is important to you. It is your decision to take action and reach for truth and use it for your betterment to help your body become healthy or will you be content with allowing the truth to tear down your spirit. Truth, coupled with action becomes a powerful tool for life. Used constructively, truth will triumph. Truth is the light that guides us to be better people and thankful children of our God. Have you read my other article, Superpowers: Truth or Lies? Read the full article

People have this urge to become seekers and advocates of the truth, yet when we bear witness of one, we often falter in handling it. Some truths aren’t as grand as we have assumed them to be; hence, we coat it with lies. Ironically, if we are not a witness of it, we find ourselves in desperation to force it out from the lies that other people make of them. When we successfully force the truth out, we still have urges to alter it as we share them with others. More often than not, these urges prevail. This is the absurdity of handling the truth. The reason why we handle the truth in such a way is due to selfish reasons—or, delusions of the grandeur. An absurd approach of handling the truth can lead to undesirable outcomes. For example, you alter some parts of a vital information and disperse it to people who have responsibilities to it. The alteration causes a series of errors and an unfathomable confusion—that is until they realize the truth. Our absurd ways of handling or sharing the truth creates complexities that the receiver of information may misinterpret so that he creates a new version of truth and spread it to others. Before we alter truths, we have to realize the gravity of the consequences. In so doing, we’ll have a tight grip on rationality and thus set aside selfish personal interests. However, there are instances where the truth has to come out as a lie for selfless reasons. In dire times, reasonable lies based on selfless intentions help prevent violent shock to people. Shocks can cause panic which only exacerbates an unpleasant situation. Although the action is a lie, it is nevertheless well-reasoned and thus is not an absurd way of dealing handling the truth. Read the full article

The sinful practices of deceit and lying have endured the ravage of time. From generation to generation, some lies have prevailed over the truth. Resorting to extreme violence is not even a guarantee to force the whole truth out. This has caused people to grow cynical, especially in matters of great importance. Cynicism, unlike violence, has its way of digging the truth up from the various versions of lies that buried it. If only the power of telepathy were for free, we no longer have to dig for truths. Yet, this merely is an impossible, desperate dream of a truth advocate. Hence, we resort to cynicism to dissect the truth out of an obvious lie. However, sheer cynicism leads an individual to a disadvantage—that he no longer is able to determine the fine line between white and black. Sheer cynicism destroys the principles of discovering the truth. Most often than not, we continue to doubt the truth even if it is as bare as daylight. The truth’s simplicity or complexity sometimes do not suffice individuals. It’s hard to convince oneself that the truth may not be what he assumes. His sheer cynicism paves way to overthinking and may find it hard to convince himself of truth’s simplicity or complexity. Cynicism only becomes an effective medium for truth if paired with logic. Without logic, truth will never emerge from the mystery that some people make of it. Some cynics allow psychological distress to cloud their judgment so that they abandon logic and rationality. Also, the desperation to find the truth highly makes one settle for what he thinks is the truth when it is not. To him, as long as it washes away the feelings of desperation and frustrations, he deems his version of truth as the real one. Truth-navigating is an honorable deed that may lead one to the most unbelievable of things. However, some paths to the truth are fraught with principles that may not agree with one’s principles. Combatting with personal principles against the principles of a certain matter nullifies the purpose of the deed. No one knows for certain the most accurate method to search for the truth. Yet, a well-reasoned or logical cynicism is, by far, the most accurate one there is yet. Read the full article