The Dark Side of Truth-Seeking
Searching for truth can be a self-defeating trap
I remember when I began my pursuit of answers to our world's many questions; namely, why is our civilization so screwed up and what are the root causes?
Anyone who has dared to look into the darker parts of reality is almost certainly aware of the power these subjects have in shaping our worldview. Paradigm shifts have a way of preventing a person to easily assimilate back into the world they used to inhabit, turning a rude awakening into an ongoing challenge for normalcy.
Stepping out of our Lollie pops and roses bubble isn't a pleasant experience
Truth-seeking isn't about finding the gold at the end of the rainbow; often, it's a series of uncovering one dumpster fire after the next, leaving a person scrambling to figure out what the hell to do with themselves.
Understanding how the financial system operates is inevitably going to give you pause about traditional financial instruments. Putting your money into a bank or investing heavily in the stock market isn't very appealing once you uncover the roots of the monetary system and how the global economy is massively manipulated by influential players.
Climbing the corporate ladder no longer seems like the safe bet to success and satisfaction when you realize how most corporations operate, dehumanizing their workforce in the march towards ever-increasing, unsustainable growth in the name of 'progress'. A fat salary in exchange for soul-selling work is obviously a dreadful outcome for anyone to pursue.
When you strip away the facade, you are left with a gaping void
Searching for answers to the topsy-turvy, contradictory mess that modern life often entails can be as unsettling and disorienting as it can be liberating. Finally having the necessary context to provide a complete perspective to view the world is by no means a guarantee of having an uplifting journey.
Information can be a weapon for self-destruction as much as a tool for self-construction. Learning uncomfortable, dark truths can be a recipe for disempowerment and defeatism. If you have a propensity for self-loathing and depression, a fresh round of research will inevitably fuel your existing hopelessness.
Truth binges can be addicting, as you become enthralled with the idea of consistently blowing your mind. But eventually, truth-seeking in the form of conspiratorial research into geopolitical scams and financial frauds reaches a nihilistic, almost masochistic fever pitch.
A red pill requires continuous maintenance
A deep journey down the rabbit hole often ends in hopelessness and disillusionment. "What's the point?" is a common refrain that follows an extended series of veil-peeling.
Alienation from others is another nasty side-effect that is often experienced, as your newfound depth of knowledge and understanding can leave you feeling like a perennial outsider to the people closest to you. Relationships and friendships can be strained, even broken in the face of new revelations regarding our world.
The importance of finding others to converse with on controversial, taboo subjects is critical to maintaining a sense of stability and reducing social isolation. It's possible you'll find a few people already in your life who have come to similiar realizations, though uncovering this may prove tricky, as many people are uncomfortable discussing certain topics.
In the search for a fuller, deeper understanding of reality, pain and discomfort are an inevitable side-effect. The truth is frequently hard to digest and come to terms with, but longing for a blue pill to fall back into a permanent slumber is simply not a realistic or healthy option.
If you find yourself falling into despair due to a consistent urge to uncover the truth, consider taking a step back to analyze why you're seeking the truth to begin with. While it is likely a result of your curiosity and desire to arrive at logical consistency in your life, it may also be the result of your general aptitude for self-sabotage.
In the event that it's the latter, turn the podcast off, close your browser window, put down the weighty book, and step outside of your truth bubble to take in some fresh air. The truth is meant to set you free, not make you a prisoner to your own despair.
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Truth certainly can be harsh, but so can ignoring it and living a fantasy.
I believe how we deal with the truth means everything, using it as a guide rather than get bogged down into hopelessness.
Great read, thanks
Thanks for reading. I completely agree that it's better to face the truth than live in fantasy. Blue pills delay the inevitable, or make awakening much ruder than simply facing the facts.
And then you finally come to realise that none of it matters, that the only thing that is worthwhile is your relationships and love. You try to leave a positive influence on each person who comes j to your life, knowing that it doesn't mean anything. You lose the desire to compete with your fellow human beings, and instead vow to leave love. You try to tread softly on this earth hoping that your short time in this incarnation left it a little better.
I kinda like this
Is there any such thing as harsh truth?
True facts. I have had to learn to step back and not get sucked into every news story exploding all over the internet. Now when I look at my feeds on FB and Twitter, I do a lot of scrolling and only click through on things that I really deem important. Trump said something dumb? No shock and surprise, he says three dumb things a day, who cares? It still kinda floors me how people react to that every time. It's kinda like when Joe Biden was the first one to "accidentally" (wink wink, nudge nudge) say he supported marriage equality ...anyone that thought about it for three seconds could see that wasn't a case of "Joe sticks his foot in his mouth," it was "Joe is testing public opinion and if the backlash is bad, they can just say he stuck his foot in his mouth." Then Obama came out in support a handful of months later when it wasn't like The End Of The World. People told me I was being cynical when I called it like that, and I'm like ...do you know how politics works? Trump saying inflammatory things is either a) he really is dumb or b) a distraction. Either way, NOT THE IMPORTANT THING TO FOCUS ON. But I digress.
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