WHEREVER you go, Truth is held in high esteem. Those who speak it are highly respected, as a rule.
Absolute truth, however, has taken a knock from relativism. Endowed truth, often packaged in religion, has taken a rap from objective truth – brought to you by science. The mix has been further diluted by situational or subjective truth. Whereby the world is still flat, if you live on the prairies. Zebras only see in black and white. So how can we tell fake news from the real McCoy?
This is the topic of a new book called Reimagining a Post-Truth World. The title is double-entendre. It dreams of going back to the future, to the good old days of right and wrong. While warning that the mix of subjective, objective and revealed truth is changing. Even our ethical plumb line is wobbling. But the game is not over yet, it is going into extra time.
The book is packed with talking points – twenty four in all. It is a mosaic of conversations, driven by questions put to three challengers by a panel of four. There are five such panels in the book, clustering the talking points into Macro, Law, Politic, Health and Future issues. Each of these series has four panelists, who lead the charge to capture Truth. For example, the Health panel is composed of four famous doctors.
The panelists come and go, but one factor remains constant. There is always a panelist from North America, Britain, South Africa and India. This is not about globalism. But the perspectives on each talking point are thus world-wide or inter-continental. For example, the chapter on Reparations prompts questions about African Americans in California, land reform in South Africa, and India’s claim of damages against Britain for colonialism. These are all pressing concerns. But they rise to the generic level when you see these diverse case studies. This generates more light than heat.
Imagine the debate about Covid-19 when India and South Africa used Ivermectin as their treatment of choice, while Britain and North America scoffed at it. Imagine all the manifestations of Riots, from service delivery protests in South Africa to femicidal marches in India to Black Lives Matter protests in America. Or an exchange about Election Swindles, not just in America but on other continents as well.
The book is factual and balanced. The author has a way of giving equal time so that all sides can be heard, respectfully. Without losing his own very traditional anchor of Truth.
The book was written for 2024. More people will vote in democratic countries in 2024 than in any one year to date. Including the USA, Britain, South Africa and India. The author is on a mission to reach first-time voters, to enable them to think about their decision carefully. Not to vote on automatic pilot.
If no one ever changed their mind, Democracy would soon experience rigor mortis. One lesson about truth that comes up repeatedly in the book is that many people aren’t really seeking truth. Rather, they seek validation of what they already believe to be true. This is at the root of vexing polarization. People become inflexible and that is part of the problem, not part of the solution. We need to be flexible, open-minded and humble… if we really want to meet the Truth.
Here is the Universal Book Link. It provides various “digital storefronts” where you can order the book online. Available in both eBook or paperback formats. Contact the publisher to place wholesale orders.
