Is there a universal truth?
Self-help books, mantras, the world of Oprah: we live in a time when people are desperate to figure out the right way to live their lives. But it’s an idea that goes back as long as there have been clichés like “do unto others as they do unto you,” “every experience is a good experience,” or “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” What is the code by which you conduct your life?
But it seems even more pertinent an idea now, with a multitude of options available today that did not even exist ten years ago. It resonates with us as a country, coming out of a low-approval rating presidency directed by a moral compass that seemed out of touch with the public’s own. The theme of universal truth rang out last week during President Obama’s inauguration when he emphasized that we are now living in “the era of responsibility.”
It is often said that people usually do not believe they are doing wrong; they are only following by what they personally think is right. Do we need to all have the same set of rules? Are there some ideas we all universally share as humans?
We each have our own individual inspiration or guiding force, but inevitably they will sometimes clash. Is there any set of ideas we can all agree on about how we treat each other and make choices during our time here together?
My universal truth is about living each day to its fullest. This includes finding the beauty in the trivial everyday things. I like to think of the life quote, it’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. It seems like a shame to miss all the beauty in everyday life because you’re so focused on this future goal. Then, when one arrives to this goal, they may feel unfulfilled when one reaches this future destination since the missed out on the unexpected joys, the true beauty of life.
I’ve spent a lot time thinking about what it means for something to be a universal truth. Is it a mentality that all abide by? Something that people strive for? As I mused over the concept I was continually drawn back to the idea of literature. How often in books do our favorite novelist bestow some sort of wisdom upon us that is chalked up to be a “universal truth”? From Vladimir Nabokov to James Joyce we are confronted by ideas that are said to have pertinence on our lives. And some do. But others, perhaps not.
This I think is okay though. What I have finally concluded is that although there may not be a specific universal truth– Michelle’s idea living each day to the fullest (re: comment above) might not be mine, therefore it is not a universal truth necessarily. I think instead there is a universal and innate desire to be validated. That feeling when you read a great book and feel for the character—you feel their love and pain, happiness and despair– this is what has been dubbed a “universal truth”– however, I would in fact call it a “personal truth” being projected on a broader and more tangible medium.
I do think that there is a universal DESIRE to find a truth. There is a universal need and want to connect to people at a higher level. A desire to find something that we can call a truth, to validate and give reason to the feelings we already share. The journey to find a so called “truth” is far more important that what one may find.
Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth, points out that Plato is the one who gives us the idea of moving from the particular to the universal; it is he who bequeathed to the world the notion of a “universal truth” itself. The Bible, in contrast, moves from the universal to the particular–starting with Genesis, but moving to tell the story of an individual family that becomes twelve tribes that becomes a nation. The question for us, as Sacks argues, is how do we accommodate difference in a world of universal humanity? How do we make room for particularism? I do believe there is a universal truth, but that truth is colored by our particular responses.
everything happens for a reason
I am a person who often sees the world in black and white. There is a right or wrong, a yes or no, a good or bad.
My personal truth is to see life in grey…
I think it’s pretty obvious that there’s some kind of absolute truth. Right and wrong aren’t merely matters of preference to be decided by every person individually; some things are right, some are wrong. If someone were to rob me I wouldn’t say that they did something that I didn’t prefer, but it was right for them. I’d say that they did something wrong, and I think most people would agree. There are definitely many gray areas in life, but to deny the existence of a universal truth is to deny reality.
Yes, there are universal truths. I just think we have a hard time assessing them because we, in our present human form, cannot agree or even fully know what is true. But truth is objective and exists regardless of belief. I think that some truths that we could all agree on are, all who are physically born will physically die.
Universal good is what leads to the enrichment and development and preservation of life and existence
Talking about universal truth is difficult, isn’t it true that every individual see the world of a different view? Isn’t everyone open to their beliefs and opinions? A universal truth is ever-changing from one person to the next one. One major universal truth that i believe in is self-preservation. Self-preservation includes sanity and physical preservation. Depicted in the non-fiction book -The Pianist- Wladyslaw Splizman survived in Warsaw from the beginning of the Nazi-gemany invasion of Poland and the ghettos for 5 years. A certain underlying instinct in all humans is the instinct/ or as you would like universal truth is that we each have an urge to keep going in life, even in the worst situations.
But truth is objective and exists regardless of belief. I think that some truths that we could all agree on are, all who are physically born will physically die.
I’d like to think there is such a thing as Universal Truth. But truth, to me, is subjective. What is truth anyway and how do we really define it? On whose standards do we base this definition?
It is just so overwhelming dealing with such big questions and trying to handle the perceived truth.
