When Truth Becomes Divisive: Reflections on Reality and Belief in 2024
When Truth Becomes Divisive: Reflections on Reality and Belief in 2024
Since the recent election, I’ve had some eye-opening conversations with people I deeply respect—individuals I’ve always known to be thoughtful, ethical, and compassionate. Yet, despite this shared foundation, our understanding of basic facts and values feels worlds apart. The divide goes beyond differing opinions; it feels like we’re living in different realities.
As I reflect, here are the questions that keep coming up:
Who defines truth? Even the simplest facts now seem up for debate. Concepts that once felt universal—justice, freedom, and patriotism—have splintered into competing definitions. Is it possible to bring these values back into alignment, or have they always been more subjective than we realized?
Choosing our own realities: It’s never been easier to verify facts, yet many of us are more attached to our own narratives than to any shared truth. Each of us finds “proof” in sources we trust, but when those sources contradict one another, even reality can feel negotiable.
The allure of “knowing better”: Dr. Sarah Kendzior, known for her research on authoritarianism and conspiracy theories, often highlights how conspiracy narratives fulfill a psychological need for control and self-importance. She explains that these beliefs give people “a sense of knowing better than others” and create an illusion of hidden knowledge. Especially in times of social and political stress, this drive can lead people to adopt entrenched, divisive beliefs—each side convinced they’re seeing the “real” truth while the other is deceived.
Shifting views of ‘good’ and ‘evil’: It’s unsettling to see basic moral concepts fall along political lines, where each side sees the other as an existential threat. Ethics, justice, and decency have become so polarized that they seem almost unrecognizable in their new forms.
Living in curated realities: Talking points from news feeds and social media often hold more sway than shared experiences. When did we stop trusting the perspectives of people we’ve known our whole lives?
The question I keep circling back to is this: How did we reach a place where even reality feels subjective? At a time when we can fact-check with ease, we’re further apart than ever on what’s true, what’s just, and what’s worth fighting for.
Have these divisions always existed, just beneath the surface? Or is this truly a new era of fractured truths?
A Few Words from MLK, Jr.
As I reflect on this, I find myself returning to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words. They feel as relevant now as ever, reminding us of the stakes in conversations about truth, justice, and unity.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
These words seem to affirm that, even in a sea of differing perspectives, we can still hold to a shared commitment to justice and compassion. We may disagree on the specifics, but perhaps a collective pursuit of equity and dignity for all can become common ground, even if that line feels thin.
Disclaimer
For transparency: This blog post was edited using AI tools for clarity, similar to how an author collaborates with an editor. All ideas, research, and perspectives are my own.
