Writing Truth in an Era of Falsehoods
By John J Kelley | November 30, 2021 |
Our world is in turmoil, and not simply because a seemingly unending pandemic just pulled another arrow from its quiver. For as unrelenting as Covid has been, a more insidious contagion spreads among us, one that bruises the heart and drains the spirit. It is the scourge of falsehoods, an onslaught of lies and deceptions that hits like a tsunami, ripping away at foundations that once seemed impenetrable.
Some people have the strength to soldier on, brushing off the debris, never straying from their mission. I used to think I was one of them – and sometimes I am – but I have found it a steep climb as of late. A recent spike in book banning fervor, highlighted by egregious moves in both the Texas legislature and at a recent Virginia school board meeting, hit me particular hard. For this reason, I am diverting from discussing craft today to return to a simple truth, one I have been needing to hear. Perhaps some of you need to hear it too.
Our words matter.
Our stories hold truth.
Honest stories convey great power.
Times of profound mistrust are when people most need to hear the truth, your truth. What can you do, both as an individual and as part of a larger writing tribe, to silence the din of anger and deceit and plant seeds of growth instead?
Here are a few ideas:
Write one true thing each day
Just one thing, that is all. Perhaps you can capture an honest emotion in a scene for your work in progress, anything from soaring joy to searing agony to simple laughter, whatever is needed in service to your tale. The key is to capture an honest moment of your characters, reflecting their world.
If the writing gods aren’t smiling upon your story on a particular day, or if other tasks demand attention, take a few moments to capture something else from your own life – describe your meal, or your garden, or the way the light blankets the autumn sky in your corner of the world. Whatever it is, express one thing that captivates your mind, and share the fruits of your efforts with friends, family or fans, be they a mere handful or an audience of thousands.
Find your well of truth and draw from it joyfully
In these times of uncertainty, discontent and disunity, make the time to enjoy those things that replenish you. Bake a cake. Ski a slope. Paint a vista (or sketch a stick figure). At times we all need solitude, but the many bouts of social distancing these past two years have taken a toll. When possible, share experiences with a loved one or a new companion. The important thing is to turn away from the drumbeat of negativity. Instead, seek joy. We need our strength to fight the good fights, now more than ever.
Support each other and stand for truth
As you gather your strength, employ it judiciously. Times like these demand attention and action. It is no coincidence angry voices over writings are arising now. For all the worries dominating our weary world, we are also experiencing the rise of personal storytelling, offering greater opportunities for those historically on the edges – or off the page entirely – to share their experiences. Some feel threatened by that, while others exploit those fears. It is our duty as writers to support efforts to expand the horizons of storytelling, for a broader tapestry of voices yields a stronger society. One organization devoted to such efforts, which I learned of during the recent dustup over library books in Virginia, is called We Need Diverse Books (diversebooks.org).
Individually, our voices are strong. Together, our voices are undeniable. As author Dean Koontz writes in his novel Brother Odd –
“Civilization … exists only because the world has barely enough of two kinds of people: those who are able to build with a trowel in one hand, a sword in the other, and those who believe that ‘in the Beginning was the Word,’ and will risk death to preserve all books for the truths they might contain.”
While I pray none of us should ever risk death to stand for what is right, we must always be ready to state the truth, even when it is hard, and to advocate for others that do as well.
I hope this post hasn’t come across as didactic; it was not my intention. More than anything, I needed to steel myself (once more) against the latest shocks. What skills have you cultivated to build resilience during these challenging times? How do you stay centered in your truth, both personally and in your writings? Have you found effective outlets for your frustrations? Do you have tips for regaining your footing when you falter? If so, I would love to hear them, as would others I am sure.
John J Kelley crafts tales of individuals at a crossroads, exploring themes of growth, reconciliation and community. His debut novel, The Fallen Snow, about a young soldier’s homecoming at the close of WWI, received a Publishers Weekly starred review and earned an Honorable Mention nod at the 2012 Foreword Reviews Book-of-the-Year Awards.
Born and raised in the Florida panhandle, John graduated from Virginia Tech and for a time served as a military officer. Today he lives with his partner in Washington, DC.
[coffee]
Great post, John! I couldn’t agree more, and your suggestions are spot-on.
Thanks, Heather! I know you always inhabit your characters as fully as possible, brought to life by your research, which gives your readers a sense of the world in different times, through their eyes.
John,
Thanks. A thought-provoking post. Truth is something we feel in our bones, isn’t it? I have wondered if I have the fortitude to stand for the truth, to put myself on the line in brutal ways, as many have. I hope I would and that I would defend others who speak truth. I think being truth-bearers is something we can practice, like all other admirable qualities. A friend is raving about a book called The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter. It dives into how we can develop physical and mental toughness through adversity. Not the same as truth bearing but they go hand in hand. When you stand for truth against the odds you test yourself and gain resilience.
I hadn’t heard of The Comfort Crisis, but just looked it up. Sounds fascinating. I know for me there has always been a connection between physical confidence and mental agility when it comes to reasoning through tough subjects, or reasoning with individuals. Perhaps it is getting older, or as Easter discusses, growing too comfortable; but I don’t feel I handle situations as well these days. Even as my concern (anger) grows. I’m more likely to stew than to speak, which benefits no one.
I think you are right. It’s the act of standing firm that tests us, teaches us, and cultivates our resilience. Thanks for pointing that out.
I remember my first day in the PhD program at Fordham University, when the director of the program looked at all of us in the new cohort and said, “Welcome to a disputatious community of truth-seekers.”
His words have stayed with me, and seem more apt now than ever. We can dispute our view of the truth, yet remain a community, and continue to seek—that is, keep our minds open and respect others’ ideas about that is “true.” Truth is like that elephant in the fable: we perceive it from different positions, with different senses and histories and purposes. None of us sees the whole. And that’s okay—because together, as a community, we can see more.
The poison among us,nowadays, it seems to me, is the conviction that individual truths are incompatible, in competition, and only one can prevail. It makes me so sad. So I think it’s not just a matter of finding ways to voice my truth, but also finding ways to hear yours. And here’s what I’ve learned: listening to you, sincerely, helps me to find my own voice :-)
Your program director spoke wise words, as do you. I believe as individuals there are still opportunities to speak and to learn and if not find middle ground at least acknowledge and understand differing perspectives. None of us owns the whole truth. As you describe from the fable, we only perceive parts of it, clouded by our own experiences and the emotions that arose from them. Perhaps that is where the pandemic has caused the most social harm, isolating us from our neighbors, including those with whom we might not always see eye to eye. Sadly, though, I think the pandemic only exacerbated a longer term trend of siloing within our own tribes of like-minded individuals. I am certainly guilty of that, which is probably why it gnaws at me.
Where I have a different perspective is the source of the poison, so to speak. I fear we live in a time when the distribution of falsehoods has become a powerful industry. When individuals with followers, be they politicians or cultural influencers, can churn out utterly and verifiably false information and yet still have it ceaselessly repeated, even promoted for financial gain, something has gone horribly amiss. That is where I believe – hope – that honest storytelling can still have an impact. As Rose mentioned, despite our all too human ways of reinforcing our beliefs, or delusions, humans possess an innate ability and even a desire to seek honest interactions. At least I hope they do.
I never really thought about it, but maybe that’s the intersection of honesty and truth. An honest person can be wrong in their understanding, or have an incomplete comprehension; but their words and actions are rooted in an intention to be open and transparent. There is no intent to deceive. We need to make our way back to way to a place where honesty is respected and where blatant deception is scorned. At least that’s the view from my coffee soapbox this morning.
Well reasoned and well said, John. Your soapbox is built on a strong, humane foundation.
Yup. There’s a lot of MONEY in them there lies. And they’re SO easy to spread nowadays.
And in looking for the negative side of everything. Which is why I rarely read The Economist, and even the major newspapers seem determined to give in to the pervasive aura of negativity.
Beautifully said, Barbara. There is no such thing as truth. There is only perspective.
Hey John–I like the David Foster Wallace quote: “Good fiction’s job is to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” I think it can be enhanced by a few additions: “Good fiction’s job is to comfort us in regard to the things that disturb us, and disturb us in regard to the things for which we’ve grown too comfortable.” I think exceptional fiction can do both of those in the same story.
As writers, it’s incumbent upon us to seek to do both as we work. It’s how we find our truths. As you point out, it’s also our duty to support our fellow truth-seekers as we all forge ahead. Thanks for sharing your powerful and important truth. I feel supported.
This is a necessary post for writers and for our society. Mark Twain loved to say: “If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.” But with a heavier hand he also wrote: “I have not professionally dealt in truth. Many when they come to die have spent all the truth that was in them, and enter the next world as paupers. I have saved up enough to make an astonishment there.”
I remember lying boldly to my mother about a neighbor’s need for matches. No, my friend and I just wanted to hide at the back fence and light them. Luckily we didn’t set anything on fire–but we were literally “playing with fire.” We can make things up in our fiction, we can play with fire, but when communicating on social media, we owe it to our society to seek truth, to know truth. And in our fiction, we should help our readers to know what honesty looks like and reward it in kind. Thanks, John.
Mark Twain was pretty damned amazing, wasn’t he? I find it fascinating that even now I’ll still hear or read thoughts I never knew he had expressed. Talk about someone with an uncanny eye for the simple – and yet complex – truths of so many situations.
Be well, Elizabeth. And have a wonderful holiday season.
Hey Vaughn! I always appreciate hearing your thoughts on most any topic. Your expansion of Wallace’s sentiment makes it more personal, which I love. “It’s not that person over there who needs a little nudge, or maybe a stiff smack. It’s you, buddy. Own it!” :)
Look forward to more of your lake images soon, now that winter is approaching. Seeing them brightens my day and grounds me. Take care!
I have decided my influence on the larger world is so small that battling at that level leaves me drained. Because I feel the need to do something, I have decided to risk upsetting social conventions by not remaining mute in my own interactions. Until the last several years, there has been an unspoken understanding that kept people from revealing inner thoughts that might not be well-received so I’ve had to do little. It’s different now. Be it a party or informal gathering of friends or acquaintences, I will speak up and confront (without anger) those who spew lies and distortions. I have a few sentences prepared that apply generally so that I can grab a few seconds to organize a specific response. “That’s not accurate.” “Where did you get that information?” “That’s a terrible thing to say.” “I can’t continue having a conversation with you if you believe things like that.”
Wow! Your experience hits home for me. I wonder (i.e., worry) sometimes about my desire to understand every nuance of a situation I can’t possibly influence, but somehow feel my digging at it will make things right. Perhaps I need to narrow my focus a bit. I envy your ability to remain composed. I am very much my father’s son when it comes to reactions. I tend to keep my cool more than he did, but that often leaves me speechless. Your suggestion on having a few practiced, reserved responses on the ready is a good one. Thank you for the suggestion.
Thank you for this post. I will take you up on that challenge of writing one true thing a day. I love 365 challenges and “truth” is a perfect prompt for getting through the coming year.
I’m happy to see you mentioned #weneeddiversebooks. It’s an important movement and I’ve learned a lot from that organization.
Words do have power. And every book is another world, even when it’s a contemporary setting or nonfiction. You as author have the ability to create a welcoming, respective space within it.
Thanks for the inspiration today!
You’re welcome! I just started consciously doing the “one truth a day” exercise, and it helps. It pulls me back to what matters because, lord knows, I am liable to tumble down the rabbit hole if I don’t pay heed. Every book is another world, and that is the power they hold. Our charge is to make it as real, and as honest, as possible, no matter what the genre.
I’m currently traveling in Washington DC with my family, and I’ve been moved by the discussion as we view the quotations at each of the memorials and monuments.
Truth, hope, love standing against falsehood and hatred are a main theme among the quotes of Martin Luther King, Jr ; Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, etc.
Hearing my adult children and the grands as they absorb these words have also reminded me of the sheer power of our words, and especially how timeless they become as the human condition continues to battle those who oppose truth and love.
You post is especially meaningful to me this morning, and something I will add to the family conversation.
Thank you!
Welcome to DC! My adopted home may be a little chilly at the moment, but it is oh so walkable if you bundle up. If times allows, be sure to check out neighborhoods beyond the Mall – Capitol Hill, Dupont, Logan Circle and Georgetown are filled with charms, as are plenty of others.
If you want to stock up on some great quotes ;), the FDR memorial is a personal favorite. Perhaps you have already been, but if not definitely go. It always warms my heart to revisit it. Safe travels!
John, this is not at all didactic. It’s truth-telling. As a naturally-rebellious person, I decided that I’m sick of being in flight-or-fight mode 24-7, waiting for the next bizarre or shocking event. After hitting the rage-and-disbelief wall too many times, I’ve doubled down on self-care, self-love, and fellowship with the people I love (which includes checking in here daily). I’ve also been reading to feed my soul. The thing is, I’ve v been waiting a long time for these days. For the ugly truths about things to surface and the festering rot to be exposed to the air. Yes, it smells bad. Yes, it’s scary. And yes, the folks who don’t want to see any of it are upping their game. We are the chroniclers of these days, so I am spending my days chronicling. Writing fiction about what it means to be human and messy and misguided. You did that today with this post. Thank you!
Thanks, Susan. Do continue to feed your soul. Life is messy even in the best of times, made even harder in times like these. We’ll get through it, both by drawing on our own strengths and in lending our strength to others.
I needed to hear this today, thank you. As I was reading, I found myself thinking, “I’m not feeling discouraged/disheartened right now.” And then of course that isn’t the truth at all. It’s been a tough fall personally on top of the drama on the public stage, and I keep thinking I’ve done “enough” self care. Apparently not. So I appreciate your reminder, your measurable tasks, your wisdom!
Thanks for the kind words, Alisha. But oh, my! I didn’t mean to trigger angst with the post, though I’m glad you see it as a good thing. ;)
In all seriousness, it is important to be honest with ourselves. My tendency, like many others I’m sure, is to say “I’m fine” even when that is the farthest from the truth. Acknowledging our feelings is a first step to dealing with them. Be well!
No angst, just a gut check! :-) Like you, I’m good at saying “I’m fine.” And big picture I am…you just reminded me that it’s important to be truthful with oneself in order to be truthful with others. And that it’s OK not to be “fine” in the short term. ;-)
Lovely, John–thanks for this.
Thanks, Tiffany! :)
I’m right there with you, brother. And like so many others have expressed here, the current socio-political s**t storm has caused so much noise that my spirit is grinding to a halt with overwhelm. On one hand, the political surveys I take reflect (first mistake, lol) my strong need to take action: I check every single item as “extremely important.” But on the other hand, I spent most of the day yesterday unsubscribing from “take action” mailing lists and devising ways to minimize my access to news. I just can’t take it anymore. Oftentimes, I think writers just aren’t built to take the wide view; we like to go deep. Because of this, I suspect that my “one true thing” for each day could end up as a prompt for an entire novel. I think I’ll do your exercise and create my own noise. That will have to be enough of a contribution.
Good job on reducing the noise. Yes, it is all important. But, damn, we need focus – and sanity – as well.
There are surely worse things than gaining story leads from a daily ritual. And we could all benefit from the tales that would spring forth.
Be well, Kathryn! Hope you and yours have a fantastic holiday season.
What a great post, John. And I couldn’t help but bring in some virtual applause for getting your intro in at — what? — exactly 300 words? What a thing of beauty. But more seriously, thanks for always bringing piercing authenticity to WU. Your voice is more than valued — it’s needed.
Write on, friend.
Well, I had to work hard at that (which of course means I had no idea I’d done so). lol.
I appreciate your faith, Therese. I learn so much from writing these … thanks for the free therapy ;)
Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season. Be well, and as always write on!
John, thank you for this heartfelt essay on speaking truth and the lovely comments and discussion it has generated. I often think of the martyrs, how courageous they were–they didn’t compromise with the world. I look to them for inspiration and guidance. The world and its values are constantly changing. How can we know what’s true? It is written upon our hearts! Antoine de Saint-Exupery says it so much better: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” Truth.
I was trained as a scientist to be objective, to always dig, to question, and I was much surprised when it led me back to my childhood faith in Jesus Christ. He’s the only One who’s unchanging, my alpha and omega, my all. This weekend we watched CS Lewis’ conversion story (brilliantly scripted–it was a play that was adapted as a film and it works so well) and what he said about being a reluctant convert resonates with me as well because it’s so hard-won. There is both grief and relief in being caught by the most ardent Lover I’ve known.
I’m late to this conversation because it’s been a busy day with an Advent retreat and choir practice. But what joy as we prepare our hearts and home for Him. I sincerely believe that all who are seeking truth will find it. Blessings to you and all yours this holiday season.
Hi, Vijaya! So good to “see” you again. Apologies for the delay responding … had a dental appointment this morning. I’m numb but good ;).
A deep and abiding faith is indeed a wise place to seek truth, and can be a rock during troubled times. I am delighted we may to some degree have a more traditional Christmas season, regardless of what clouds may lie on the horizon. Then again, there are always clouds. Perhaps this current strife can make us stronger. I do have faith in that possibility, despite the many challenges.
May it be a wonderful season for you and your family.
I needed to read this today. Yesterday I was hit with an angry onslaught of typical lies from those same types of “book burners.” It still amazes me that even when they’re hit with truths, they fire back with unimaginable lies and theories. So. Thanks for this post. I’m carving parts of into my heart.
It does sometimes hit in waves, doesn’t it? I’m glad the post came at a good time.
We shouldn’t be surprised, or too hard on ourselves, if we find ourselves overwhelmed on occasion. I am learning better coping mechanisms, but am far from healed. Conversations on this post have offered some nuggets for me too, upon which I am reflecting.
Have a wonderful day, Pamela. Take care!
I appreciate your post for the reminder that we must find our daily truth and joy in these trying times. We are more polarized than ever in this country. We all tend to believe that the people on our side of the political spectrum are spouting perfect truth and the people on the other side of the political spectrum are spouting absolute lies. Yet the truth so often lies somewhere in the middle. I think of this as I write a novel in which crimes are committed, yet I seek to capture the humanity of those who commit the crimes, to show what shaped them into someone capable of atrocity, and to also show their good traits, to show their complexity. I understand and respect that you are writing out of your perception of current events. I think it important to remember, however, that we all have varied perceptions based on our backgrounds and experiences, and that there is not one absolute truth because we all tend to have subjective experiences of the world. It all depends on what lens we are looking through. I love your ideas for staying sane in these trying times and writing truth. And, I am going to read your novel! I have been on a kick of reading World War II fiction this year.
Thank you for the kind and wise words, Margaret. The world is complex; and our nation is divided, though I don’t believe we are as divided as individuals as political forces are pushing us to be. It is important, as you point out, to keep in mind we all come to our world views from our life experiences.
But we rely upon having informed, factual data too. What I find alarming in these times is the diminishing of objective truth. Opinions always have and always will vary. We are at our strongest when we embrace this and encourage debate – and compromise. When, instead, intentional falsehoods have greater currency and reach than objective truth (data, facts), that damages society. And when it becomes more advantageous for political movers to seek strident division (employing lies) rather than common ground, that exacerbates the situation.
I believe writers are increasingly overwhelmed by this imbalance given our keen senses of observation and our inherent need to make order of those observations – the skills that first drew us to storytelling. In short, the public strife is short-circuiting our greatest gifts. It certainly dominates my creative mind, and has to varying degrees affected all of my closest writing companions.
My post today is an attempt to draw attention to the fact that we must have faith in our observations and our quests for truth via our writings, and to support one another in those efforts. I feel writers of all genres have and have always had a responsibility to explore and to reveal the realities of the human condition and the truths – some of them painful – about our society. We cannot lose sight of that even in a time when that noble objective is under siege.
I do hope you enjoy the book. Please let me know your thoughts! And all the best on your own writing endeavors!
Well spoken!