One look at the proverb and you find yourself searching for a deeper meaning. Allow me to explain, the ‘truth’ is based on facts and beliefs that are proven to be correct. A lie, on the other hand, is a deceiving statement or, put simply, a fabricated truth. The natural stigma that comes with it is its reputation for destroying people’s trust and relationships, something the truth is quite capable of accomplishing as well. If I told you that the entire article is a lie, is this the truth or simply the opposite? This is known as the ‘Liars Paradox’-the liar is a liar, and if the liar is indeed lying, then the liar is telling the truth, which means the liar just lied. Read it again. Pause for a while and reflect upon it, the above lines might be a blur in the first instance but give time for the article to redeem itself, and you’ll find yourself questioning the truth, and this is definitely not a lie!
We live in a world of constructive lies, not only in politics and business where it is a favorite pastime but also in the realms of philosophy, relationships, and just everything we set our foot into. It does not make a special appearance under ‘false news’ neither in propaganda or misinformation but it is a part of what humans do, it’s simply in our blood. The person who says they’ve never lied is simply opposing their own point. One of the lines in the movie ‘Chernobyl’ begged itself to be featured, “Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later that debt is paid.” Ponder about that sentence with the first impression you get and then compare it with today’s world. It’s much easier than you think and you’ll realize that you are liable to a huge, never- ending debt, to yourself and the people around you. We deposit the uneasiness and harsh outcomes of the truth to withdraw a comfortable lie where you place yourself as collateral security. (Sorry for the business analogy, collateral security is an asset you pledge in case of failure to repay a loan). I’m not compelling you to open and adhere to your moral science textbooks, but simply stating that we’ve never been coached or trained to lie as much as we have been coaxed into telling the truth, and sometimes honesty might not always be the best policy. (time to close your moral science book). The truth does not always originate from a hundred percent reliable source of facts but contains scraps of the actual truth mixed with bent versions of the truth.
The saying, ‘’There is a truth in every lie’’ is more of a warning than a promise. It cautions the reader to not fall prey to sophisticated lies even it contains trace amounts of the truth. A good example would be your favorite junk food, it contains fats and sugar but also proteins, vitamins, and other nutritional values. So would it be a good idea to replace your breakfast with KFC? I mean it does contain the necessary nutrients you need after all! At the end of the day, even when there is abundant truth made to cover up even the minute lies, it does not justify or make the lie acceptable in any way. So you might want to refrain from having KFC for breakfast unless you decide to succumb to the ‘fractions’ of truth beneath the tasty lie. In contrast, if there are no lies the truth automatically ceases to exist. If you were the first person born on earth and ‘beauty’ was not defined, how could you be considered ugly if the characteristics of beauty were not fixed? Therefore, truth requires lies to exist and the divide between the two tends to slowly merge when the truth can no longer be properly defined. I am not favoring telling a lie over the truth at any moment, but only wish to bring forward the perspectives of both sides as a mediator. The emergence of lying can come from the fear of human beings not able to fully express themselves and fearing judgments, their emotions push them away from telling the truth and instead, they indulge in fabricated lies that does the job of telling the truth but in a dishonest way.
Overall the article tries to showcase the conventional meaning of a truth and lie, and the interaction between them. There might have been parts in the article where the information required further processing but that could only mean you’re a step closer towards understanding the abstract concept and at this rate every step matters. The relation between the two makes us question the integrity of our words and actions. (I am no saint, but am capable of recognizing when the wall comes crumbling down). As we grow more in experience, we also tend to distinguish between the selfish and non-selfish lies we often make. It usually comes from a place of intent or emotions where you cover up the truth for momentarily happiness and satisfaction. The truth does not always need to be associated with the ‘right thing to do’ and lies don’t have to be completely wicked to prevent them from being committed. The boundaries surrounding their definition would have blurred by now leaving infinite possibilities for numerous combinations to take place! In conclusion, there might be some truth in the above lines or it could as well be a well-written lie crafted together as the ultimate truth. Sometimes, you cannot make the mistake of believing everything you read. (I should have put a few terms and conditions in the beginning!)