Darn it. I found a quote that piqued my philosophical fancy. But I'm not thinking too coherently right now.
"There are only two ways to tell the complete truth: anonymously and post-humously." - J. Sowell
It was on one of those little blog ads that pop up on the side of your little news feed page.
It's a nice quote, though. I wonder if it came out of his journal after he died. Or maybe in a note he left in a lock box. haha.
But seriously it voices that thing I mentioned before. That feeling in modern society that we must be private individuals. Almost to the point that we have to be private to be individuals. Our truths must remain private. It's that feeling that leads us to set up anonymous blog sites so we can stop living under the pressure of all these lies and ideas we have built up around ourselves. Lies which we obviously know are not true, and ideas... ideas we may just want to try on for size.
But for some reason there is a fear of exposing the entire truth. The truth that we are just trying Buddhism or vegetarianism and not necessarily professing to it.
... Is it a fear? Or is it more... not wanting to have to explain. Is it having a deep and complex discernment that you can't really explain succinctly, not having the time or the intimacy to share with everyone. Maybe it's easier to give them an idea: "I'm thinking about going to the seminary."
That's certainly more acceptable than, "I'm single, and I kind of like that at the moment. I happen to be rather religious and think celibacy would be a good idea for me for a while, see if I'm up for it forever. I probably would rather enjoy all the theological discussions and biblical analysis at the seminary, so it is definitely a possibility that will stay in my head. But I don't really feel particularly called anywhere at the moment. I just want to stay single for a bit, and have my ears open if the call happens to be coming."
Talking about the seminary is much easier and simpler, and it gets the generic point across. But then everybody is wondering when you'll actually go to the seminary. Where you'll go. What order you'll go with. They ask you about that more frequently than they had asked you if you had a girlfriend. And what are you supposed to think when a girl, a mere acquaintance, stops you on the sidewalk to say that she would support your decision to go to the seminary?
Well, in any case, I don't believe J. Sowell is correct. I think he is funny, and he testifies to a modern actuality. But modern actualities do not translate into intrinsic realities.
Our half-truths and insincere professions produce at least as many hairy situations as they avoid, in my experience. It's a wonder we still persist in giving them.
Comments (8)
It is a wonder that we still give them. But only to someone who really wanted to believe what was a half truth to be a whole truth.
justathot
cm
I think I felt that going into grad school -- I definitely didn't feel called to it, and certainly not to the program I ended up in. And to the people who ask why I'm leaving the program next year, it's easier to say, "It wasn't what I was looking for" than the actual truth.
In terms of your situation, I think it's hard (for anyone) to feel any particular calling upon graduation, at which point explaining any decision you make becomes difficult. If you're happy and single, and you think you'll enjoy theological discussion, there's really no reason *not* to go to seminary. It does essentially the same for you that grad school would do: it lets you put off final decisions a little longer. You'll get to know some cool people, you'll learn a lot, and eventually, whatever you decide, it will affect who you are and how you see the world. And that's really all that matters.
In any case, J. Sowell is right in at least one respect: it's *hard* to tell the complete truth when you have to face the consequences. It's much easier to omit parts, to brush over the truth and tell half-truths instead, to pretend we're something we're not so as to get what we want--whether that be validation, gratification, sympathy, or what-have-you.
Chris Chris Chris. Chriiiistopher Christopher Christopher. You're inside your head.
@EmbellishedObscurity - But isn't it a fun place to be? I do know why we can't tell everyone everything, but sometimes it just feels like we're telling nobody anything.
Wow. I summed that up rather nicely, didn't I!
@kosherchick - Wow. You remembered your password. That's impressive! I'm serious.
That is a very true comment. Getting more time through Grad School or Seminary, growing as a person before you grow into your life. The ease - and necessity really - of spreading half-truths.
But someone needs the full truth. You've really gotta be able to share it with someone. I hyperbolized in my post, but hey that was midnight when I woke up at like 6 that morning.
It is good to know you are alive, though.
If you want to drop me a line some time, I'm a happy bachelor now and not the confused bachelor I was the last time you tried to chat. I won't slam any doors in your face.
You slammed a door in someone's face?!
@EmbellishedObscurity - figuratively. digitally.
@Joplar - Will do, once my whirlwind of finals/papers/presentations/moving/driving cross-country has ended.