The Truth Will Set Us Free

 

I ought to be surprised, but I am not really. Truth has always been controversial. From Pilate's cynical query, "What is truth?" to the long lineage of skepticism in philosophy, truth has always been a difficult concept. Recently, we have seen communities fractured, families divided, and long-time friends driven apart by “different truths.” Truth seekers have come under fire for being “judgy” and bigoted. Politicians have used gaslighting to undermine the notion of truth itself. Seeking and speaking the truth has fallen out of fashion in 21^st-century America. Fortunately, truth does not depend on winning an election. It lives on whether 1 person or 72 million people believe it exists. In the following paragraphs, I offer this celebration of truth to the thoughtful and soulful spirit.

 

Our search for truth does not begin in the catacomb of ideas and insights that pour forth from libraries and lecture halls. Seeking truth does not start with a keen eye and logical observation of the world around us. Finding truth does not start with a carefully crafted question or ingenious experimentation meant to tease it out of nature. If our search for truth began in these places, it would arouse little controversy or discussion. It would simply exist. We would spend our time refining and sharpening it through logical processes. But, in fact, truth is far too powerful to be captured in any process, perception, or proposition.

 

Truth gives shape to every quark, muon, electron, atom, molecule, or complex compound in the universe. In truth, both wisdom and beauty find their fullest expression. Truth offers the only safe harbor for hope and is the polar star in our search for meaning in life. Truth shines light on the hidden realm of magic and draws a curtain of mystery around the most subtle processes in the universe. When grasped, truth deceives us into believing that we have captured and controlled it. When, in fact, while shaping our past and future, it cannot be controlled or contained. At best, we can see its fleeting shadow on the walls of experience, but only if we commit ourselves to it with our whole heart. Truth cannot be held in our hands. It cannot be contained in our minds. Truth must be eternally pursued, and that journey must begin in the soul.

 

Because of its power, truth has several pretenders. Certainty dresses up like truth for those too impatient to wait for its appearance. Prejudice wraps itself in truthiness when the human spirit is too lazy to see beyond its biases and self-interest. Logic circled like wagons around a comfortable idea, can be used to masquerade like truth in the mind that is afraid to be challenged or found wanting. These pretenders offer assurance to a soul that has cut itself off from the search for truth. They allow the impatient, lazy, and fearful soul to leave the path and set up camp in the wilderness. There, they lash out at the "lion, tigers, and bears" that circle their encampment in the darkness just beyond the light cast by their certainty, prejudices, and logic.

 

The search for truth demands that we leave that campfire and take to the road with a deep, visceral desire to know the truth wherever it may lead. This desire needs to be rekindled with every step we take. It awakens every question we encounter along the way. This desire for truth helps us keep our hearts, minds, and souls open to a truly brave new world that awaits the faithful sojourner. The soul's desire for the true will leads us through the fog of uncertainty as our constant companion. It will provide the strength we need to take that next step into a future hidden in the mists of time and the inevitable changes that await us. An existential yearning to know the truth will fill our journey with everything we need to honor the precious gift of life bestowed on us in our all-too-brief moment by 13.8 billion years of existence itself.

 

This search for truth will set us free from our prejudices and hatred. It will unlock the hidden closets that contain our true selves and lead us to fully embrace our humanity and the humanity in every other soul. The search will lead us beyond the comfortable confines of self-imposed limitations that stunt our growth and keep us ignorant of all that awaits the curious and awakened soul.

 

Unfortunately, this truth, as observed by Joe Klaas, will piss you off before you feel the chains dropping from your ankles. It may even grip you in unyielding arms of terror before revealing the awe and wonder before your eyes. But this truth is more real than our imagination. It feels ethereal, but like the shadows in a darkened wilderness, it is more real than the pretended reality around our little campfire can ever be. Truth does not begin in the mind or the world beyond our perception. It begins in the deepest recesses of the human soul. It starts with a simple question, “Do you want to follow the evidence of the universe, or are you satisfied with the confirmation of your biases and treasured beliefs?” The answer demands that we be honest about why we seek what we seek.

 

In response to Pilate’s cynical query to Jesus on the day of his execution,” What is Truth?” we can reply, “Truth is an invitation. It is the appetizer that calls us to the table of curiosity that feeds the mind, body, and soul. It is the way to true humanity. It is the path to life in all its fullness. Truth is the way to genuine freedom!"

 

However, as Oscar Wilde wrote, “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

 

J.K. Dowling posited through Professor Dumbledore, “The truth … is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”

 

Mahatma Gandhi suggests that truth is invincible. “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it – always.”

 

I will leave the final words on this celebration of Truth to George Orwell, "In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

 

The search for truth awaits the faithful heart, the curious mind, and an unflagging presence in your world.

 

Travel well, my friends.

Bob

Alexa, Thank You

 

Mom, me, and Kenny in 1964 on the road to New Mexico.

Recently, after hearing distant thunder, I wondered about the forecast. Unfortunately, my phone was not within reach. And being too lazy to fire up the laptop, I turned to my Echo Show and asked, “Alexa, what’s the forecast?” My dutiful digital assistant quickly responded. When “she” finished, I responded, without thinking, “Alexa, thank you!" My Mama always taught me to say please and thank you, but I am not sure this is what she meant. I laughed at myself and forgot about the incident, though Alexa's kindness in response to my "thank you" did linger. You see, Alexa thanked me for my kindness. Obviously, Alexa's Mama, or programmers, also taught her well.

 

Over the years, I have thanked Alexa for forecasts, adding things to our shopping list, or updating me on the headlines. Each time, Alexa responds with one of several responses thanking me for my kindness. It has become a little game, but I suspect it is actually more than a “little game.”

 

I don’t know about you, but I sure miss kindness! Being considerate has become rare in our internet-driven, hit-and-run culture that is less concerned about other’s feelings than our own impulses. Rudeness is in! We refuse to acknowledge when we are at fault and never apologize. Taking other's generosity for granted and taking it as our due without a thank you. Mocking people who struggle and disrespecting people who disagree with us is the order of the day. This is nothing new, but this bad behavior has never had the social acceptance it enjoys. It’s called rudeness and reveals our culture's fundamental lack of kindness.

 

I could drone on about why the change happened and parse the various ways we have become so uncaring and inconsiderate. But I suspect there is no going back. While the history and analysis might be interesting, they will not likely take us back to what one GOP President described as a “kinder and gentler America.” Nope, now we must look forward and discover ways to restore consideration and respect for others in our daily conversations and interactions. My suggestion? Two simple words: discipline and practice.

 

My Mom considered kindness a skill rather than a deep-seated value grounded in a lasting compassion and respect for ourselves and others. (I said I wasn't going to parse it out, but I couldn't help myself.) I suspect she believed that her “little heathens” (she raised four boys) needed to acquire the skill of kindness, and the understanding would follow. So, we were taught to say “Please” and “Thank you.” When a grandparent was talking, we listened. When someone was on the phone, everyone else remained quiet. No one took the last serving of mashed potatoes. If you bumped into someone accidentally, you said, "I'm sorry." If someone’s hands were full, we opened the door for them. Did she stop and explain the why and when of each incident when we transgressed Mom’s rule of the road? Nope,  for Mom, "the look," usually followed by the question, "Did you forget something?" was enough to prompt our kind response. My Mom understood that we needed to practice more than a lecture, and she helped us “practice” kindness, whether we understood it or not. She trusted that as we grew, we would come to see and appreciate kindness for its own sake, and her "guidance" would no longer be needed. (She was, after all, an optimist.)

 

Mom understood that being courteous and sensitive to others is not only about them. How I treat others is about who I am as a person. The world sees us through our words and actions far more accurately than in the carefully crafted and coifed face we present each day. Being a good person had nothing to do with success and bank accounts. Being a good person was all about how we treated others. She taught her boys that our consideration and respect for others said far more about us than anything else we would ever do or say. In her book, being kind is a fundamental skill for a good person.

 

Mom has been gone for almost 30 years, and I am still working on this skill. There are people whom I find it very easy to disrespect and treat inconsiderately. I find it especially easy to be unkind to people who did not have a mom to teach them the importance of kindness. When I slipped up, I saw my Mom look and heard her question, “Did you forget something?” This kindness stuff requires lots of practice regardless of how long I have worked on it.

 

I suspect many of us need much more practice at being kind! I also suspect that if we want to change the world around us, we might start by being a lot more intentional about practicing kindness. For me, that means thanking Alexa as often as I think about it. Kindness is not necessarily just about being kinder. It’s called practice at being a decent human being. And I know with absolute certainty that our world needs another good and decent human being.

 

Bob

 

For s little inspiration, click here.

Requiem for a Stink Bug

 

This story could also be called The Tale of the Inconvenient Alien. It shares our experience with a creature that has invaded our Motorhome more than once and refuses to go away. It has come seeking shelter from the harsh world where they live. As far as we are concerned, they are more annoying than dangerous, but we do get tired of being forced to live with them. We would rather that they go away, but they keep showing up. They are the Inconvenient Alien in our life, the Marmorated Stink Bug.

 

Scientifically known as Halyomorpha halys, this critter is a true bug. It feeds on fruits and vegetables with its long proboscis, causing damage to commercial crops throughout the USA and Europe. It is an Asian invasive species that arrived in North America in the mid-1990s. They generally live outdoors, where they lay their eggs, feed, and do their damage. But when the weather turns cold, they overwinter in any convenient sheltered spot, like  Koko, our Motorhome. They do not feed or lay eggs in winter. Instead, they find a cozy place, nap until the weather warms, and head out to resume their lives.

 

This means that the bugs we pick up in the Midwest ride with us back to Texas tucked away in Koko’s nooks and crannies. But when the temps rise to 65 F or above, they come out and start looking for a way to get outside. We see 1 – 5 of them every day.

 

They are not called Stink Bugs because of their personality. If you physically crush them, they give off a horrible smell that lingers for days. Several years ago, we were telling a friend about them, and they suggested a hand-help bug catcher called a BugZooka that would capture them with air. This allowed us to release them outside without smelling up our home. For the last year, we have been dutifully releasing these critters 1 – 2 at a time.

 

Three months of catch and release was enough. I checked YouTube and discovered these clever creatures were likely not flying off when we released them. They probably came right back in and became “snug as a bug” all over again. When the temperatures rose, they came out seeking freedom once again. We had likely been catching and releasing the same bugs repeatedly. Stronger methods were required since deportation did not work with this bug.

 

After reviewing several methods, we chose a non-chemical way of trapping and exterminating this inconvenient pest. We put together a soapy water trap pictured above. The next morning, we had eliminated our first Halyomorpha halys after years of deportations. And, I have to admit, I felt sorry for the little bug. All life is precious, and this little bug was so much more than a pest.

 

It had done nothing wrong. It was living out its life in the only way that it could. The cycle of overwintering was hard-wired into its DNA. The species had evolved and thrived for thousands of years because of this lifestyle. It was incapable of living any other way. In short, it had not evolved to have agency, the ability to act independently and make their own free choices. I did not want to take its life for my convenience, but I also understood that this bug did not belong here. It did not cause significant problems for me, but it was damaging to others and their livelihoods. With that said, I offered a prayer of confession and carried the corpse outside, where I laid it to rest in the grass. And I have done so several more times. Each time, I offered a Requiem for the Stink Bugs whose life I took, mostly for my own convenience.

 

As I listened to myself processing this experience in my head, I kept hearing the words of people speaking out against those who were coming to the USA as refugees. I heard myself using the same reasoning they use to justify detaining, trapping, and deporting people who are fleeing persecution and seeking refuge in my country. They are pests who have no right to be here. They are dangerous to our way of life and must be deported. I shudder to think how far these anti-immigrant people will go if they keep capturing and deporting the same aliens repeatedly. 90 years ago, a European country came up with their ultimate solution for people they deemed dangerous pests. It was the same “final solution” I used on the Stink Bugs. The reasoning is simple, linear, and clear.

 

There is only one problem with applying my Stink Bug strategy to our Southern Border. Refugees are not stink bugs. They are human beings, and as such, they do have agency. They are not driven by their DNA programming. They are capable of reasoning and acting in new ways that serve their needs, the needs of their families, and the people in their community. They can learn and teach novel ways of supporting themselves. They are "endowed by the creator with certain inalienable rights," namely "…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

 

Countries all over the world understand the need for refugees to find a safe haven where they can begin new lives. The Thirteen Colonies understood this and welcomed your and my ancestors to these shores. They saw the humanity in the people seeking to make a new life in the land of opportunity. Well, that is not quite accurate. They saw the humanity in those who looked like them. People of color or who came from places other than Europe were not so well received. Most were enslaved. Others were discouraged from making North America a permanent home. Then, these same European Americans turned on the indigenous people who had been living on the land for thousands of years. They denied the people of these rich and diverse cultures their inalienable rights and committed genocide to rid themselves of these inconvenient pests.

 

All homo sapiens are, by definition, endowed with a humanity that deserves and demands respect. To declare that a society has the right to deny one human being their right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is to declare that these rights are not inalienable after all. These rights are bestowed by those in power and withheld from those who are deemed inconveniences. This is not what Jefferson, Adams, or any of the people who built this society believed.

 

Should violent lawbreakers be allowed to enter our country unchallenged? No, but, like our own ancestors, every human being deserves the opportunity to be heard as they make their plea as refugees and not be deported simply because of the color of their skin or the language they speak.

 

How far are we from taking that ultimate solution to protect our homeland from those we deem undesirable? If recent history is any indicator, we are not very far. What will happen when we discover that deportation will not end those seeking refuge on our shores? The reasoning behind an ultimate solution is "simple, linear, and clear." It is also very, very wrong!

 

They are not bugs!

They are human beings worthy of respect and dignity. Until we see their humanity, we will be incapable of acknowledging their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

They are human beings, not bugs.

 

Bob

To Click or Not to Click... Don't take the Clickbait!

 

The hue and cry against intolerance, lies, bigotry, and hatred continues to echo across the globe, especially here in the US of A. No one wants to promote it. Everyone wants to stop it! We all yearn for a society that respects decency, truth-telling, honesty, and love of neighbor.

 

Therefore, how would you feel if you had a tool that could start chiseling away at the walls of deceit and hatred, dismantling them brick by brick? What would you do if you found something you could do that would be a meaningful protest against those who foster division and disunion for their own political and financial gain? Would you do it?

 

Here is your chance to take control. It is very simple. Don’t take the clickbait!

 

If you want to get back to decency and honest conversations in your community, remember, we're all in this together. Don't take the clickbait!

 

If you want to reduce the volume of those who spread hatred against those who are different from the cis male, white evangelical of European descent, then don't take the clickbait!

 

If you want to recover a little peace for your heart and mind so that you can find your footing in this 'slippery' world, then don't take the clickbait and breathe a sigh of relief!

 

What is Clickbait?

Clickbait can take many forms. It could be a sensationalized headline promising 'Shocking Revelation About [Celebrity Name]' or a misleading image that doesn't accurately represent the content. The primary goal of clickbait is to generate as many clicks as possible, which can lead to increased advertising revenue for the website hosting the content.

 

Clickbait gets its impact from the power of the headline. 40 years ago, newspapers would carefully word the headline that appeared "above the fold" to encourage someone to spend their quarter and buy the paper. These headlines have now morphed into "Subject:" lines on emails, hashtags on text messages, captions on videos and images, and ALL CAP opening lines on social media posts. An honest headline gives the reader an honest taste of the article's contents. Unfortunately, this conditioned many people to scan the headline as a summary and bypass the article itself. Thus, a dishonest journalist could write a deceptive headline and bury the true details in the story. After all, the reader had already bought the newspaper, so the editor didn't care if the reader was informed.

 

Today, as print media disappears, dishonest journalists and others use the same principle to get you to click on their website or buy their product without bothering about accuracy or honesty. Clickbait uses deception and does not care that the content is different than the teaser. Once you click it, they have been rewarded. This self-interest overrides their interest in informing the public.

The consequences of falling for clickbait can range from wasting your time on irrelevant content to being exposed to misinformation or scams.

 

Those who rely on clickbait on unwary readers should not be trusted for accurate information. There is nothing inherently wrong with making a profit from your job or career. However, doubts arise about the writer's or seller's integrity when the profit motive outweighs their passion for providing a safe and helpful product. The product or information may be fine, but the doubt raised by their dubious marketing suggests that we should look elsewhere. Using clickbait to attract attention does not taint the information or product. But it taints the reputation of the user and serves as a warning about the value of their services. If you find clickbait, move on. Your trust has been violated.

 

Where do I find Clickbait?

Clickbait has become standard fare in many digital communication systems. Social media sites like FB, Bluesky, YouTube, X, Instagram, and TicToc will have many posts encouraging you to click on a misleading link. They may be elaborate memes posted by troll farms or a shared post from a friend. They may be tucked into posts that are shared in groups. This is especially true of poorly moderated groups. (I practice signing off groups that allow repeated clickbait-infested spam on the feed.) There is no way to avoid online clickbait.

 

Clickbait has also become increasingly prevalent in email, text messages, and voicemail. Think of it as spam on steroids. It is not simple passive messaging. The message will be urgent, demanding that you “Act Now!”  It will have an emotionally charged message that seeks to bypass reason. Do not trust a website or email address because it looks authentic. A simple change in font type can make “goodyear.com” look like “goodyear.com.“ (Note the first “o”.) Also, text messages can be sent from familiar Area Codes and from spoofed numbers. Do not trust a link just because it looks authentic or familiar.

 

A third type of clickbait is found on billboards, websites, restaurant menus, and signs. QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) allow your phone to click on a site with your camera. These QR Codes are links, and unless you trust the source, do not use them.

 

To be fair, not all links are clickbait. However, some sites are more likely to rely on clickbait. Here is my list of links that require extra caution.

 

Political Candidates

Political Parties

Political Action Committees

Unfamiliar Non-Profit Fundraising

Online Vendors

YouTube Weather Sites

News Organizations other than those with journalistic integrity. (IMHO, AP and Reuters)

Emailed Final Notices from Financial Institutions and the IRS

 

Do Not Give these sites the benefit of the doubt. Rigorously apply the following Clickbait Test before you respond to any link.

 

The Clickbait Test

Does it appeal primarily to emotion? Clickbait is all about emotion, not reason. The stronger your emotional reaction, the more likely it will be a deceptive post.

 

Does it speak to your prejudices or privilege? Clickbait is designed to tap into our predispositions through words and images that speak to our known and unknown prejudices or biases. It will also rely on our unacknowledged sense of privilege, i.e., showing a white man losing his job to a non-white woman. The more outraged it makes you, especially if you cannot identify the source of your outrage, the more likely that it is clickbait.

1.  Does it appeal primarily to emotion? Clickbait is all about emotion, not reason. The stronger your emotional reaction, the more likely it will be a deceptive post.

2.  Does it speak to your prejudices or privilege? Clickbait is designed to tap into our predispositions through words and images that speak to our known and unknown prejudices or biases. It will also rely on our unacknowledged sense of privilege, i.e., showing a white man losing his job to a non-white woman. The more outraged it makes you, especially if you cannot identify the source of your outrage, the more likely that it is clickbait.

3.  Does it communicate a sense of urgency? Clickbait wants you to act without thinking. It will generally stress that you must check this out immediately. The more urgent a lead-in feels, the more likely it is clickbait.

4.   Does it have grand or unrealistic consequences? – Does the post or ad make wild claims? The bigger the promises or the more exaggerated the consequences, the more likely it is clickbait.

5.  Does it contain false or suspicious information? For example, beware of a message from a business with whom you have never done business. It will generally ask you to contact to reclaim an overpayment or demand an immediate payment for a charge you never made.

6.  Does it carry sexual innuendo? Much clickbait will use sexuality to lure the vulnerable. This may be suggestive language or images. If you get a sexual vibe from the post, it is likely clickbait.

7.  Does it feel creepy or make you feel uncomfortable? Gauge the creepiness of the post. Does seeing or reading it make you feel uncomfortable? Trust your instincts, especially when you can't identify the source of the creepiness. It relies on discomfort to motivate you to click on the link. This is often used in fake “Unsubscribe” messages. The stronger the urge to click, the more you need to resist! It is likely clickbait.

 

If a link and its accompanying message meet one or more of these criteria, delete it. Don't take the clickbait! Do not share the clickbait!

 

If you want to help move our society back to respecting decency, seeking honest communication, rejecting hatred, and opening up channels of communication with those who disagree with us, then “Don’t Take the Clickbait!”