Before our great country can have peace, it must have an agreement on truth — about what’s really true about everything. But that’s not going to happen unless we stop throwing our sucker in the dirt and all start using our words.

Throughout history, conflicts came and went, but the civilizations that prevailed were ones who were committed to a sympathetic wrestling with truth.

If the modern headlines are any indication, it seems extremely clear we’ve lost that art.

Our country is fracturing across the fault line of biases and emotional opinion, whether in politics or race or religion. We have come to be more divided than ever and no message of love or acceptance will put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

We fundamentally disagree on the nature of reality, on how is best to live, to raise a family, to treat your neighbors, to earn a living, to define marriage or sexuality — not to mention matters of higher importance, of spirituality, eternity and death.

What we need is a renewed commitment to truth.

Our history is full of mature debate of truth, leading to a unity that came from iron sharpening iron. It never was easy and never will be (the founding fathers had some knock-down drag outs, and so did basically every political movement thereafter) but it was a marked improvement from the criminal schoolyard antics of this generation.

Instead of bullying and dominating, truth wins only when it is in the open, accepted by a willing and sympathetic engagement of the facts.

It is almost too easy to miss.

Truth is what actually is, it is the reality which we are all trying to get our arms around. A parent thinks their child can do no wrong, but when faced with proof of their crime, they must question the truth: is their child really, actually incapable of doing wrong?

Truth is not opinion. It is fact. And it can’t be manipulated.

But America lost its hold on truth generations ago, conflating opinion with truth, as if truth was different for each person. 

This is why we can call this the “fake news” generation.

Never have we seen so much information and interpreted by so little conviction.

What’s the solution?

It’s the same it’s always been, but a wise man once said that the solution is 90% contemplating the problem and 10% contemplating the solution.

The only way to really assess our problems are by first committing to a discussion and debate of the facts.

Without truth, no amount of vigor will keep us from driving off the cliff.

Without truth, there’d be no reason to stop us.

 

Adam Setser is a financial advisor with Kerrigan Capital and Risk Management, 3543 North Crossing Circle, Valdosta. He can be reached at (229) 588-8448.

Securities and insurance products are offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC. Cetera firms are under separate ownership from any other named entity.

The opinions contained in this material are those of the author, and not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell investment products. This information is from sources believed to be reliable, but Cetera Investment Services LLC cannot guarantee or represent that it is accurate or complete.