I wrote the following paper in an attempt to see the other side of the debate. The emails shown in the entry below concerns this assignment: to make an argument for truth, make an argument for the almost-truth, then after having covered both sides of the debate, make an argument for the arrived upon conclusion. The paper listed below, titled "Accepting Monsters," is my idea of the other side of the debate, the almost-truth. I don't agree with it. I feel I could argue against each point. But it is the other side. In order to better understand my point of view on truth, I jumped into the contrary mindset. It felt ugly. But all the same, here it is below. To see the other side of this debate, the argument for truth, go to my entry titled "Defeat Monsters." All in all, I'm proud of my conclusions and feel more secure in my own understanding of truth. I have to admit that my work arguing for almost-truth isn't my best. The paper feels unorganized to me. But my paper for the truth feels much more substantial to me. If the debate of truth and almost-truth intrigues you, I suggest you read The Deadliest Monster by J.F. Baldwin. And if you get into the intrigue of monsters, I suggest you read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Stevenson and Frankenstein by Shelley. Great books.
Accepting Monsters
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley tells the horrific tale of a scientist who raises a hodge-podge, lifeless body to life. This life is forced, by the rigid, unloving race of human kind, into becoming a monster. This life began in beauty. This life began in innocence. But this life was no match for the wearying rages of humanity. An environment of isolation, loneliness and disdain creates a murderous beast. In an attempt to earn back his creator’s love, the monster appeals to Frankenstein saying, “Oh, Frankenstein, be not equitable to every other, and trample on me alone […] Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous […] If the multitude of mankind knew of my existence, they would do as you do, and arm themselves for my destruction. Shall I not then hate them who abhor me? I will keep no terms with my enemies. I am miserable, and they shall share in my wretchedness” (98 Shelley). The poor beast had a pure heart driven to cruelty since cruelty was all he was even shown. His environment provided for a monstrous lifestyle. He had no opportunity to become anything less than a monster. This misunderstood creature embodies a reality that the majority of human kind takes for granted. The monster of Frankenstein mirrors the monster of almost truth. The almost truth is shunned for its inability to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But this poor beast is a misunderstood creation of necessity. When the almost truth is turned away and repudiated, it can lead to a slew of grievous happenings. If our world was more receptive of monsters, what might that look like? The almost truth is a necessity of existence, as shown by examples of personal experience, media, and culture.
Before being able to see the almost truth monster at work, the foundation of understanding almost truth must be established. Understanding the almost truth begins with comprehending the three terms: worldview, discernment and convenience. Everyone, whether or not they know, like or understand it, responds and behaves in accordance to a personal worldview. The author, J. F. Baldwin clarifies:
Your worldview is your framework for understanding existence—the way you look at the world […] Your worldview is like an invisible pair of eyeglasses—glasses you put on to help you see reality clearly. If you choose the right pair of glasses, you can see everything vividly and can behave in sync with the real world […] But if you choose the wrong pair of glasses, you may be in a worse plight than the blind man—thinking you see things clearly when in reality your vision is severely distorted. (29)
If the “framework for understanding existence” does not make room for almost truths, then large portions of one’s worldview glasses will be clouded. This world is filled with almost truths; and if they are left alone and are turned away, the world will appear severely distorted. With a clouded worldview, the ramifications of what almost truth has to offer will be unclear. This notion reveals a greatly under-appreciated concept. The difference between the almost truth and outright lies is vital to the issue. Renowned orator, Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said that, “Discernment is not telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right” (Grant). Discernment values almost truth, because it has a closer link with reality than that which is falsehood. The truth works like the body of a human; the almost truth acts as the appendages of that human. “Right” and “almost right” relate strongly with one another; so if you completely cut off one from the other, it would be as if you were cutting the arm off a man. Accepting the almost truth is a headway for the truth. As a result, almost truths are then found acceptable and often incontestable. Fortunately, a false reality created by almost truth is often easier to face and therefore found desirable. It can be comforting or enjoyable to live at hands of this monster. This perception, when acted upon, becomes an issue of convenience. Author of Do You Think I’m Beautiful?, Angela Thomas writes, “I have concocted a few lies to make life hurt less and then forced myself to live them” (6). If Angela Thomas had recognized those lies as almost truths, then perhaps she could have become more comfortable living out a less truthful, less painful existence. If she were capable of accepting a supposed monster, the beauty of living out almost truth would be ever apparent. Through a better understanding of worldview, discernment and convenience, the almost truth monster is pinned down. Now through examples of personal experience, media, and cultural conducts, the monster of almost truth can be found worthy, beneficial and acceptable.
First, the example of personal experiences shows how almost truth actually enables people simply to make it through a day. Many people face problems and realities too grand, too intense, too much for a single person to swallow. These people often enact the power of almost truth in order to make it through life. Imagine a cancer patient, given slim to nil odds, who gets through the day telling oneself that despite the odds the can and will be all right. Many people call it denial; but case after case shows that a cancer patient using this almost truth has a higher chance at defeating the cancer. If a Frankenstein-type person came into the picture denying the almost truth monsters, the results would be detrimentally discouraging for the cancer patient. In this case, confronting a painful truth leads to no good and therefore makes the truth irrelevant. But if the meek and mild monster of almost truth is given the chance, it will lead an eventual path to the truth.
Within the same thread of personal experiences, consider a person who is battling phobias of all shapes and sizes. For every fear out there, there is a falsehood, a truth and therefore an almost truth. Each battle necessitates certain almost truths in order to face down an average day. Someone facing gerascophobia (the fear of growing old) has to engage the almost truth daily. The falsehood for someone suffering a fear of growing old is that there is something terribly wrong, frightening and evasive about growing old. The truth is that growing old is natural and, in many ways, beautiful. Since the truth is not immediately an obtainable option for the person with gerascophobia, the almost truth is the only viable combatant—growing old is not a big deal. However, growing old means huge changes; it means drastic transformations; it is a big deal. If a Frankenstein-type person were to walk up to one with gerascophobia and refute the humble, well-mannered monster of almost truth, one with said phobia would become incapable of making strides toward the real truth and would be forced into a life of continued fear. The same can be said of almost any phobia. The almost truth, in the case of most personal experiences, is therefore the headway for truth and is necessary for countless people.
Last in the theme of personal experiences shows a clear picture of how the almost truth is capable of operating. The last example of personal experiences confronts the notion of alcoholism and specifically how it is dealt with under the guidance of an organization called Alcoholics Anonymous or A. A. This organization leads people who abuse alcohol through a twelve-step program, after which these sufferers of alcohol stasis should be able to face down their demons and defeat the vice of alcoholism. Yet just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, the alcoholic didn’t put an end to abuse in a day. One of the many notions that A. A. is known for says to take things one day at a time. This idea, upon a closer inspection, proves to be an excellent and simplistic almost truth that is invaluable to many. The reality is that when someone addicted to alcohol goes on an attack against the disease, they are headed in for a long-term battle. The end to alcohol abuse is not found upon sunrise the next day or the day after that. The end to the problem with alcohol abuse may not even be a definable occurrence. Victory has nothing to do with the day to day, yet that happens to be the only way to win the battle against alcohol. Based on an almost truth, alcoholics can crush this debilitating sickness. Yet without this almost truth, the scope of real victory may seem completely out of reach. Throughout the lives of countless individuals, the almost truth monster plays a crucial role.
Second, just as the mild monster of almost truth comes to life in the form of personal experiences, the monster of almost truth can also be found in the workings of American media. A brief look into what constitutes media would present the multiple expressions of propaganda—which manifests itself throughout industries of style, music, politics, sports, news, etc. Each arena is selling something. Often the ideas that the public sees, likes and buys from media identify some sort of almost truth. To help illustrate that point we can zero in on American media and specifically Hollywood. Hollywood has created some pretty strong ideas of what perfection ought to look like. Each idea could easily be called an almost truth. Some of those ideas are tagged with rather negative presuppositions. However many of those almost truths are quite necessary and lead to certain realities possibly unobtainable otherwise. F. Scott Fitzgerald clarifies through what is known as the ultimate Hollywood novel, The Last Tycoon:
I accepted Hollywood with the resignation of a ghost assigned to a haunted house. I knew what you were supposed to think about it but I was obstinately unhorrified. This is easy to say, but harder to make people understand. [Some] who pretended an indifference to Hollywood or its products, really hated it. Hated it way down deep as a threat to their existence. […] You can take Hollywood for granted […] or you can dismiss it with the contempt we reserve for what we don’t understand. It can be understood too, but only dimly and in flashes. (3,4)
Perhaps many people distance themselves from Hollywood simply because they have chosen to refute the gentle almost truth monster. The truth is that the image of perfection created by Hollywood is rather impractical. Perfection in Hollywood is comprised of beauty, riches, love and therefore happiness. But beauty in Hollywood is not always clear, riches can come and go, and love fades like a withering flower. So is happiness even possible? Despite the ephemeral appearance of Hollywood’s idea of perfection, the continuance of these almost truths are important. First, everyday the monster of almost truth in Hollywood has driven people away from seeking out a life that is not their own. Successful careers in Hollywood require and demand a great deal of talent, looks, personality and more. The strict criteria of Hollywood has turned away many, allowing each of those people to seek out a lifestyle better suited to their capabilities, needs and realities. The almost truth that you have to completely fulfill the demands of Hollywood in order to find success and happiness has either driven people to turn away from an unnecessary life path or driven them to work harder to earn their way to the top. Second, on the other side of the Hollywood ideal, we can find another victory in the name of accepting the almost truth monster. Hollywood depicts glimpses of reality the way we long it to be, and therefore gives headway for a greater truth. This greater truth speaks unto how things could be. It foretells the possibility of what happiness can look like. This notion may come across as idealism and utopianism, but rather it is simply the beautiful picture of hope. This is the story of Hollywood. The story of hope is the great enterprise of Hollywood. Without the almost truths of Hollywood, this notion of hope would be but a glimmer in the eyes of countless people. But the profound monster of almost truth has assembled a wonderful adventure within the worlds of film, fashion, fame and fantasy. As shown through the example of media, the almost truth is a beneficial necessity of life.
Third, as with the examples of personal experiences and media, the almost truth proves a vital part of humanity throughout the thread of cultures. Cultures display unique varieties on how human kind partakes in this little thing called life. Each and every culture lives out a very different set of standards and ethics based on a system of beliefs. Oftentimes these differences between cultures are seen as barriers. However, the differences of how we each deal with reality are most likely our strongest ties together. You see, daily each person in this world is living out an almost truth that applies directly to a personal worldview and cultural identity. Now the almost truths may vary throughout the many cultures of the world, but the enactment of almost truth is the same worldwide. To explain this notion, we can pick out several points of interest that will highlight the issues at hand. One example of a cultural issue that points out the power of the almost truth monster is the very basic concept, which bounces around high schools everywhere in America: You must complete your education in order to be successful. In reality, your academic career is not necessarily required for success. Many great entrepreneurs have never attended college, and some did not even complete high school. The almost truth about education has driven many students to seek out a higher education in order to become better in their career-fields. Although the almost truth pushes people to do something that could be seen as unnecessary, it also causes people to work harder and more effectively. A high school and college education offers a number of advantages in the workplace and gives an opportunity for growth and development. If this mild monster were altogether rejected, a great amount of the populace would not be in the places or be the people that they are today. Although you can find success without college, the monster driving home this almost truth has made way for great things. Another cultural almost truth monster that has brought about good things is found in the idea of personal space. In America, personal space is a key element of societal existence. In many other countries, the term personal space is unheard of. Some countries outside of America understand the idea but in alternative ways. For example, when you greet someone, you kiss the new or old acquaintance on the cheeks. It is an expression of compassion. It is a custom the people. In America, a handshake will suffice or even the occasional friendly nod will do. Although the two greetings differ greatly, they both hold the capacity to express the same things. They could both express the extremes of genuine affection or polite disassociation. Both can be patterns of conformity or patterns of respectful courtesy. If the two divergent forms of salutation are capable of communicating the same basic issues, then why do we purposefully and intently teach our children, our future generations to take on these customs. In America, why do we push the idea of personal space upon our children? Is it because America is impersonal and uncompassionate? Not necessarily. Communicating the need for personal space to our young is a way of implementing patterns of behavior that will benefit them in their future workplaces and endeavors. And in Peru, communicating the idea of personal space or possibly the lack there of will also implement a pattern of behavior that will lend for success. Personal space is a good example of a partial truth that is beneficial and in many ways necessary for cultural acceptance. The many cultural almost truths are vital for society. If we deny these endearing little monsters of our cultural heritage, then in turn we deny an element of truth wrapped in the “almost.”
As exemplified by the almost truths found in personal experiences, media and culture, the little monsters of almost truth are deserving of acceptance. They are often necessary and beneficial. Sir Walter Raleigh’s wonderfully passionate poem “The Lie” explains:
Go, soul, the body’s guest,
Upon a thankless errand;
Fear not to touch the best;
The truth shall be thy warrant.
Go, since I needs must die,
And give the world the lie.
The truth is that lies and harmless balderdash are often what our world requires. To stray from the outright harm that the truth is capable of, we must go out into our worlds and do nothing less than offer up our best lies. Anything less would be detrimental. We must avoid a Frankenstein mentality. How will you handle monsters? Will you disown them for their inability to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Or will you be able to take them on for what they are rather than what they are not? Can you accept monsters?
Selected Bibliography
Baldwin, J. F. The Deadliest Monster: An Introduction to Worldviews. New Braunfels: Fishermen, 1998.
Bragg, Sarah. Body. Beauty. Boys. Birmingham: New Hope, 2006.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Last Tycoon. London: Bantam, 1976.
Grant, George. “Flash Gordon Worldview.” Humanities. Franklin Classical School. 29 Nov. 2004.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2003.
Thomas, Angela. Do You Think I’m Beautiful? Nashville: Nelson, 2003.
