What IS truth and why do we blog?
“Truths are illusions about which it has been forgotten that they are illusions, worn-out metaphors without sensory impact, coins that have lost their image and now can be used only as metal, and no longer as coins.”
(Friedrich Nietzsche, On truth and lie in an extra-moral sense, The Portable Nietzsche, 1974, pp.46-47)
I came across this quote as I was investigating Michel Foucault on the topic of truth-telling as an educational practice of the self. Why was I interested in this subject? Well, I had an exquisite dinner the other night with a good friend of mine, who is a professor at a well known college in New York. The food was secondary to the nourishment provided by our conversation.
My friend and I began to talk about why people engage in the seemingly meaningless activity of e-mailing and blogging. She mentioned that the need to self-disclose extends back to the ancient Greeks. They would write in great detail on the events of their day, providing information on foods consumed, thoughts engaged in and activities pursued.
It seems we humans still feel the need to “self-disclose.” Foucault defines a special form of communication called “parrhesia”, which is Greek for speaking candidly. This style of communication is not used to persuade, as is rhetoric. There are, as I understand it, 4 parts to parrhesia; frankness, truth and the moral courage to tell the truth, criticism and duty.
Does this process translate into self-knowledge? In other words, do we communicate in this style in order to gain a better understanding of the self? Does the courage associated with self-revelation result in improving our moral standards, as in equating truth with righteous and proper behavior? Does this discursive process help us to reexamine “truth” as it pertains to us, to cast off the illusion of our belief systems? Can we discard the worthless, worn out coins of past truths and replace them with currency that encapsulates renewed truth?
According to a National Public Radio piece I heard just this morning, blogging serves the dual purpose of offering support and providing an arena in which to sharpen skills. I certainly hope that there is some educational and social value inherent in blogging and that is not merely a supreme waste of time.
I realize that I need to delve deeper into this question of why we email and blog. The theories of Foucault are intriguing and complex. I can’t pretend to understand them yet, but your thoughts are always welcome. Without your feedback I am just a big looney, talking to myself. And by the way, I had oatmeal with bananas for breakfast and I am going to karate at noon.
Thanks for listening and please DO comment. See for yourself if this self-disclosure process is of value.
Thanks.
Sue
on August 3rd, 2007 at 7:26 am
Hi,
My name is Mike and this is my first time blogging.
Also, I hope I am permitted here considering that I am not an artist but I do appreciate your works of art.
I will not enter the age old philosophy of what is truth, however, intention does come to mind. Most blogging may be superficial and not nourish personal development. Your thread intrigued me though and I do believe there is a sense of self-disclosure in what appears to be safe place, so growth from this expression is imminent.
on August 5th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Your quotes from Foucault are right on target. Many seekers of truth about the world still struggle to find truth about themselves. For reasons suggested by thinkers such as Freud, we cannot be objective observers of ourselves.
Diaries, journals and letter writing have always been forms of keeping history, particularly for women. These forms of communication tell it like it is from the point of view of the writer. These are not “true histories” as might be recorded by an Ideal Observer from on high, but they are none-the-less important observations. Often these sources of history are shared in a public way only after the writer has passed from among us. Blogs also serve as the modern equivalent made public instantly.
So the question becomes, when blogging do we change focus, pull punches, mince words or embellish under the pressure of knowing that the blog will be seen by the world?
on August 5th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Personally, I feel that writing (electronically or on paper) is a way to help clarify my thoughts. When I “think” random items are always going through my head, no matter how focused I may try to be. It is a nice feeling, in my case a feeling of accomplishment, to have an idea expressed directly and to the point without any meandering to and fro. This might be my make-up and others may process thought differently, but as an artist it has been a great benefit to think in this fashion, as problem solving is many times the relationship or combination of unrelated items.
Does this process (blogging) translate into self-knowledge?
Yes, I think so. When we express ourselves clearly in the written word it can only help us better understand our world and ourselves.
I for one am a fan of the written word and find that a person who speaks unintelligently can sound very eloquent as a writer. Unfortunately the opposite is also possible, reducing an idea to inconcise blather. We’ve all put down a book unfinished at some time for just this reason.
No matter what your ability, writing can be a fulfilling experience.
on August 10th, 2007 at 8:25 am
I laughed out loud at the last part of your blog – “And by the way, I had oatmeal with bananas for breakfast and I am going to karate at noon.” – great way to end this “self-disclosure” with some humor!
I feel that blogging gives us a sense of self-awareness and clarity. It also allows us to let feelings out and views to be expressed. I think people blog for many different reasons. Whether it’s to vent about something that has been bothersome, to talk about the recent events in your life or to bring about an awareness to others on particular subjects – whatever the reason, I think it’s a good thing. It’s kinda like a personal diary but put out there for the public to view and comment on. However, if you are someone who can’t take constructive criticsm, I would suggest not writing anything too personal, if you can – it can definately be of some help through a difficult situation or used as encouragement for your daily life. Either way, I think writing your thoughts out, whether in a blog or in a personal diary, is a great thing to do because it is giving you that sense of awareness and is something to look back on even to see how far you have come in life.
on August 10th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Carrie, you bring up a good point; the possible benefit of blogging is not exclusive to the author, but to the audience as well. Having your comments read, “heard”, so to speak can be validating. Thank you for adding to the energy of this site!
Sue
on August 12th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Carrie,.I think you made some good points, well said.
on August 13th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Well thank-you very much guys!
I appreciate it!!!