[Anon Text] You can't handle the truth...can you?

[youfool]

Have you ever had a situation that was exacerbated by ignorance, and that more information might've helped? If you went through with revealing the truth or enlightening people, did it work, or backfire? What would you have done differently if you could?

[Ted's been taught by experience that his usual attempts to wake up others to matters of importance seldom work. Whether he should make the attempt, and whether such an attempt is likely to help or harm, is rapidly approaching relevance.]

Comments

[keymemory]

[ Big words! BIIIIIG words! Sora thinks he's following though... but: ]

Hello! I think truth is best!

[youfool]

[Nice to see that Sora's on the same wavelength. Kind of.]
No doubt, but it's the issue of sharing it and what unintended consequences there might be that concerns.

[keymemory]

The only thing in your control is the ability to tell the truth! Consequences are going to come with and .. um... or... without it!

[youfool]

True, but if the consequences would be worse than silence, and reasonably predictable, couldn't one assume some responsibility for that?

/spelling errors intentional, my apologies :'c he's 15

[keymemory]

So, what you're saying is that we should all be responsible for how everyone takes the truth!? No way, even if it's hard to deliver and difficult to here we should still give the truth! It's the best we have to give one another! It's the strongest even!! Soooooo much arder to tell the truth than to lie or not say anything!

It's ok you're forgive. Sora, on the other hand, must be punished.

[youfool]

Yes, and no. If, for example, one gave a present of food that the other person were allergic to, they wouldn't be responsible for the allergy. They would, however, be responsible if they knew about it beforehand and went ahead anyway. Suffering can be avoided depending on what can be reasonably known.

Isn't doing nothing usually easier than saying anything, fact or fiction?Not that I disagree with truth's general goodness, of course.

ohhhh nuuuuus ;;;;;

[keymemory]

What? Wait.. that's totally different! GIVING someone food they're allergic to is jerking it up! That's not the same as knowing the truth and telling them!

Oh /yes/

[youfool]

It'd be similar, wouldn't it? Telling a truth one knows or reasonably expects would go over poorly, or be mishandled.

;^; buh hims jus a bb

[keymemory]

I don't get it. So here: someone is wearing their favorite shirt and they didn't realize there's a big hole in the armpit! So you gotta tell them! You have a hole in the armpit! They might be sad, but it's the truth? Or if you cheat on your maths test! Then you're not being honest... but if someone ASKS you if you cheated, you better fess it up!

bb's don't bludgeon demyx to death, Sora. He knows what you did.

[youfool]

The latter example isn't quite analogous; there a second party is asking for the truth.

For the first, yes, that would be the right thing to do if you thought it would lead to a change of shirt or mending. But if that person with the shirt would lose their minds and go ballistic upon hearing anything even slightly critical, then it'd be better not to tell. It depends on their reaction, doesn't it?

THAT WAS LAST SUMMER THO ;;

[keymemory]

[ He has no idea what analogous means. So he's going to just ignore that bit. ]

Then it's about whether or not the person is ready or WANTING to here the truth. Right? You can't help their behavour after they find the truth!

THEN HE'D BE OLDER AND LESS BB

[youfool]

[Ted needs to buy more dictionaries and hand them out like tracts.]

Exactly. Which is why I'm asking if anyone's had experiences with things like that, good or bad, and to share their wisdom when it came to potentially volatile truths.

#canthandlethetruth

[keymemory]

I once told Riku I broke his skate board. He was mad. He was so mad. But I had to tell him. I feel like I owe him that honesty.

Maybe it's becuase I owe him that honesty is why I told him! If I didn't feel like I need to be honest with someone I wont?

Re: #tomcruise

[youfool]

I don't know whether I've more sympathy for Riku or you in that; his wrath must be terrible. Well, yes, that's a good principle: one should confess their sins and seek absolution when possible.

But if it's a different kind of truth where no wrongdoing has occurred on your part, that'd require a different breed of wisdom.

looooooolll xD yaaassssssssss

[keymemory]

Do you know Riku!!!

I mean, it wasn't a sin. I didn't sin! I just.. you know, broke it.

What do you mean? Different bread of wisdom?

[youfool]

Who doesn't?

[Probably lots; he's kind of aloof, but it's fun to pretend to be the all-knowing anon character.]

An accident, then? A peccadillo, perhaps.

Different breed, or kind. As I said, the truth could potentially be a sop or a harm, depending on how it's received. If there's a principle to tell it regardless, that's one thing worth considering (that I'm glad you brought up, by the way). But if one can tell or retain at will, considering the consequences is the thing to do.

[keymemory]

Great! So.


What's the answer then?

[ You lost him so hardcore right now. He can't even.. ]

[youfool]

[He's used to it, bless Sora's heart.]

That's what I'm trying to find! Is there a principle for terrible truth telling when no sin's involved on the teller's part? Or does it depend on more pragmatic concerns?

Hence the need to learn from principles and particulars both.

[keymemory]

Why does truth have to be bad or good. Truth is truth. It doesn't have a conshus.

[youfool]

Not "good" in and of itself, but whether it achieves other kinds of goods, like peace or charity. Telling someone they're horrifically ugly when it's not relevant is true, but bad, for example.

[keymemory]

But that's not true! That's an opinion. You can't factualize that!

[youfool]

If you think "beauty" is mere fiction--and by God, you'd better not--then its opposite exists no less factually. But if you prefer to substitute other, more factual instances like yellow teeth, skin lesions or acne, pointing out those truths would be no less impolite.

[keymemory]

You sound so extra.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, doesn't make it truth! Like we're talking facts! 2+2=4! That truth! You can't argue!

[youfool]

What does "extra" mean in the sense you're using?

A common, catchy cliche. Beauty consists in due proportion and what pleases the eye, both very factual.

But that's beside the point, which is that some truths, like saying one had an IQ below 70, can be wrong to say no matter how true they are because of their effects, in that example, needlessly hurt feelings.

[keymemory]

But if they did have 70 IQ then it's true. It's not up for debate. That doesn't mean they have to be aggressive about it.

Or the person who has that IQ respond poorly? Which is all subjective.