Stand for Truth – Page 14 – SimpleBender…..wcb

Our view of events is our perspective. As much as we value our experiences and hold our viewpoints in high regard, perspective differs from Truth.

Perspective is shaped by a lifetime of influences—experiences, education, training, family, friends, and the organizations we belong to. These factors color how we interpret what we see and hear. Perspectives aren’t inherently wrong—but they aren’t inherently right either. In today’s polarized, “no-gray-area” world, where nuance is often lost, this idea can be unsettling or outright rejected. Of course, my perspective is correct—what I see is what I see. But are you absolutely sure? We like to believe we wouldn’t deceive ourselves. And yet, we often do—unknowingly.

Try this: extend your arm, raise a finger, and align it with a distant object. Now close one eye, then the other. Notice how your finger shifts left or right depending on which eye is closed. Your eyes, just inches apart, see differently. So, which view is correct?

Neither. Both. That’s the point. It takes multiple viewpoints to approach the whole Truth. Without both eyes open, you lose focus and depth perception—the ability to judge distance and spatial relationships is skewed. Everything flattens into a single plane. Truth becomes distorted, even as your perspective seems perfectly valid.

Perspective is not the whole Truth. It’s a fragment of it. And if such a slight difference in viewpoint can shift what we see, imagine how much greater the distortion becomes when shaped by different life experiences, cultures, ideologies, and geographies. That’s why two people standing shoulder to shoulder can witness the same event—and come away with different interpretations.

Now consider the effect of ideology—a corrective or distorting lens we all possess. Ask yourself: Does your ideological lens help you see more clearly, or has it merely reshaped your version of the truth to make it more convenient? But the Truth is not about convenience.

If we claim to stand for Truth—and we should—that means being willing to hear perspectives beyond our own, even when they challenge us. It also means others should be willing and eager to listen to ours. Truth is not found in a single view, but in the kaleidoscope of many. No perspective is inherently more valuable or “right” than another.

We must not bury history, suppress ideas, ban books, or restrict academic inquiry. These are not acts of Truth-seeking—they are acts of fear. Instead, we should welcome diverse thought and experience in the shared pursuit of Truth.

Just know that the truth will set you free. The alternative is censored, willful ignorance—and that is not freedom. And remember, it is impossible to plan a journey by looking back and wishing to reclaim your steps. It is difficult if you’re looking down watching every step, but entirely possible if you keep both eyes open, look forward, and seek others’ perspectives.

Let’s accept that our view is ours, and we need others to fully appreciate the Truth that envelops us. Let’s plan our collective journey, appreciating where we have come from, acknowledging where we are, and setting a path to a better future.

_{NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com} _{@simplebender.bsky.social} _{Stand For Truth}

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This article was first published in the Bend Bulletin 5/20/25

cartoon three monkeys one covers eyes, one covers ears and one yells through a mebaphone....

Collectively, we tend to avoid what makes us uncomfortable. We flip past the page, change the channel, swipe away — anything to distract ourselves from what we’d rather not face. We prefer to hear what validates our opinions and makes us feel good about ourselves. More than ever, we seem to believe that something is only valid if it feels agreeable, and we’re becoming openly hostile toward uncomfortable truths.

Some don’t want to hear that being pro-Palestinian doesn’t make someone antisemitic; it may simply mean they are anti-Zionist. Others ignore reports describing an increase in antisemitic violence by domestic white nationalists since the start of the Gaza war and focus more on pro-Palestinian protestors. We may dismiss the idea that small local government is better than big government — especially if we are or were government employees. We might resist the notion that most immigrants pay taxes, work hard to support their families, and deserve due process and a chance at citizenship. At the same time, we might reject the argument that only immigrants who entered legally should have that chance or resist the idea that employers of undocumented immigrants should face prosecution as aggressively as the immigrants themselves.

It makes us uncomfortable to admit that this country has a caste system and remains racially divided, with ongoing systemic discrimination. We may prefer to look away from images of both past and present racism or dismiss the idea of reverse discrimination altogether. Some can study discrimination while others live it; that’s a privilege. Many avoid acknowledging Russia as the aggressor, just as others refuse to confront Israel’s humanitarian atrocities in Gaza. We may ignore the fact that we are a debtor nation — consuming more than we produce, importing more than we export, and holding one of the world’s highest national debts and budget deficits. It’s easier to blame drug trafficking across our borders than to ask why so many of our neighbors are using drugs. We often find it more comfortable to claim victimhood and scapegoat others than to confront the root causes of our problems. We make excuses for those in one group while castigating others on the other side for similar actions.

Through it all, we seek comfort over truth. We isolate ourselves in ideological bubbles, surrounding ourselves with people who echo our views. This mental isolationism is dangerous. Life in an echo chamber is not healthy.

We are eager to listen to what doesn’t offend us — even if it offends someone else. We want to be heard yet often refuse to listen. We can do better. We don’t have to blindly believe anything a charismatic, compelling speaker tells us without analysis. We don’t have to nod our heads just because others do. We are more intelligent and compassionate than we let on. We have more access to information — and misinformation — than any previous generations. We can stop scrolling past the uncomfortable and try to understand. We can try, just a little every day, to listen to something uncomfortable. Listen. We should use every intellectual tool at our disposal to think critically and unpack why it makes us uneasy. We can be as outwardly reflective as we are inwardly introspective. And when we do, the discomfort will feel a little more comfortable.

_{NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com} _{@simplebender.bsky.social} _{Stand For Truth}

Please consider following simplebender, you’re reading makes my writing more fun..…

Comments and thoughts are always welcome and feel free to re-post …..

This was first published in the Bend Bulletin 4/17/25

Tag: Stand for Truth

Parallax of Truth… Perspective’s Facets

We want to hear what we like to hear…..

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