“Instead of dying with disappointment, I would rather a
deceit that gives me life" a quote attributed to Pierre Corneille, a
17th-century French dramatist. This line reflects themes of resilience and
choosing life over despair, consistent with Corneille's exploration of complex
human emotions in his plays.
From the Theatre of Illusion, by Pierre Corneille (translated
By Richard Wilbur) Act 2, Scene 2:
“Clindor, a young
picaresque hero, has been living by his wits in Paris, but has now drifted to
Bordeaux, to become the valet of a braggart bravo named Matamore. He is chiefly
employed as a go-between, carrying Matamore's amorous messages to the beautiful
Isabelle—who only suffers the master because she is in love with the messenger.”
An anonymous said “truth can be an expensive commodity
because it often requires courage, sacrifice, and the willingness to face
uncomfortable realities”.
Hence seeking and telling the truth can lead to personal,
social, or professional costs, which includes damaged reputations or most often
strained relationships.
With this in mind, while inherently valuable, truth demands a
price that may not be naturally volunteered.
That brings us to the paradox between truth and social
justice.
Whilst in pursuit of social justice it often involves
magnifying fringe interests and experiences, it may not align neatly with
“established truths”. Therefore, in the process of trying to balance honesty
with empathy and fairness, it can affect the dynamics between preserving facts
and promoting relationship equity.
Whether its private lives or public, building relationship equity
is critical in order to foster strong personal and professional relationship which
in turn can improve communication and increase commitment to that bond. However,
this state of meaningfulness can only be attained through consistent positive interaction,
shared experience and mutual support between individuals as well as with other
social constructs that the individuals belong to.
In this context I would like to bring forth the concept of “Vyavaharika Satya” (practical truth) which was liberally exercised
in the Mahabharata. The Mahabharata itself is an epic poem that was written weaving
intricate relationships and moral dilemmas about the complexities of human
relationships towards the preservation of relational equity.
As much as the Mahabharata upholds virtue ethics as its
primary philosophy, it also acknowledges the complexities that “truth” posts,
and therefore it sees concealing truth or bending truth is a necessary evil for
the greater good.
To share one incident in the Mahabharata, the “truth conflict” that occurred between
Yudhisthira and Drona. Yudhishthira who was an epitome of righteousness was
asked to inform Drona (who was his mentor) that his son Ashwatthama was dead.
The truth was an elephant by the name of Ashwatthama was killed in the battle,
but hearing that his son was dead, Drona threw down his weapons in all sadness,
which eventually cost his death. This episode was considered to be one of the
most contentious moral dilemma portrayed in Mahabharata. However, the death of
Drona was critical in the Bharath war, as it brought an end to further
bloodshed because Drona had immense destructive capabilities. This event instantiates
that literal truths can be sacrificed if the act brings greater good or prevent
greater harm.
The world today is facing even greater relational complexities,
more so the need for broader understanding of consequences rather than one’s
action. As the song goes “honesty is a such a lonely word” (Billy Joel), we
have to tread it wisely and tactfully but that should not be seen as a passport
to deceive. Weigh whether the truth will build or destroy, and use compassion when
making that decision.
Interestingly the Mahabharata provides a nuanced perspective of
truth and in the pursuit of establishing relational equity. Contextual
sensitivity and the adherence to compassion are seen as the very essence for
the purpose of creating a “meaningful existential equation”.
That reminds me of Viktor Frankl, in his book, Man’s search
for Meaning, who says, “Everything can be taken away from a man but one thing:
the last of the human freedom – to choose one’s attitude in any given
circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Frankl a proponent of logotherapy,
propounds that even in suffering people can find purpose through love,
creativity, and endure hardship with dignity.
But then again if truth is beknown, we don’t need divine
intervention, do we?
I will leave you with that thought.
Cheers.
ravivarmmankkanniappan@143005112024Latitude, 3° 8' 48.56"N ; Longitude, 101° 32' 20.70"E
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