Is Truth Relative? [Longer Read]

This is taken from my book Short Answers to Life's Biggest Questions]

In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.

Winston Churchill

It depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is.

Bill Clinton

Photo by Chris Linnett on Unsplash

I have been a drummer for most of my life. Early on I played in church bands that mostly involved the rock and roll style of music. Then I fell in love with Latin. I loved playing its grooves fast, partly to show off, but mainly because it was so energizing. Limbs, hands, and feet all doing different things, yet forming a syncopated beat that makes your heart thump and feet move.

So who is the best drummer of all time? Sometimes I think it’s the late Neil Peart from the band Rush. His thrilling drum fills and eccentric rhythms, most widely known from the song “Tom Sawyer,” are too good to miss.^[i] If Peart’s drumming doesn’t inspire a smile or make you move, you probably ought to get your heart checked.

But other times, I think jazz bandleader Buddy Rich is the greatest. No drummer has been able to match Rich’s ability to perform a drum roll with ONE HAND!

But then there’s the ever-entertaining Questlove of The Roots. His combination of skill, style, and sense of humor keeps you wanting more.

Of course there are others to consider, but my point is this: At the end of the day, it all comes down to preference.^[ii]

Preference or Truth?

Many issues in life fall within the category of preference and taste. At home, our kids will complain that a certain meal is too spicy while I think it simply has a nice tang to it. Or we will talk about our favorite ice cream. Mint chocolate chip is my favorite, while my wife loves lavender or berry flavors. These are issues of preference.

But not all matters in life fall under this category. Many orbit around what is true. When I’ve entered into conversations involving truth, some of my friends have argued that truth doesn’t really matter. “So what if your belief is true!” they say. “Your truth is your truth and my truth is mine. You do you and I will do me.” When Beyonce came out with her album Lemonade, she nearly broke the internet within minutes. It was neither her musical genius nor the images from her album that created the explosion, but the fact that her lyrics hinted that her husband Jay-Z had cheated on her. Everyone wanted to know: Did Jay-Z cheat on Beyonce?