ZetaTalk: Truth Test
Note: written on Jun 15, 1996
The reality that can be sensed is based on many things, and all of these
things carry distortions.
- The physical reality that one perceives is distorted by the senses.
Human eyes, for instance, see but a small section of the color spectrum
seen by other life forms. Beyond the color spectrum there is clarity of
vision. Horses are nearly blind compared to humans, but the gliding hawk
sees twice what a human does. Human ears hear but a small swath of the
vibration frequencies that other animals on Earth perceive, as any owner
of a dog who responds to a dog whistle will attest. The human blows the
whistle and hears nothing, but the dog comes running.
- A limited view of the physical world can lead one to distorted
conclusions. Mankind deals with gravity, and thus in his mind has a down
and an up. On the other side of the world there stands another man whose
down and up are contrary. Even the fact that the Earth is round is lost
on primitive man, unless he calculates carefully the movement of the
skies and is given to deep thought on such matters. Humans speculate on
the birth of the Solar System, all the while having no real sample of
the core of the Earth or more than a sniff or two of components
elsewhere. They are guessing.
- Man is ego-centric, and barely pulls away from a completely
self-centered notion of the world even when a mature adult. He assumes
the Sun revolves around the Earth until forced to deal with facts
telling him otherwise. He assumes that he as an intelligent creature
stands alone as God's handiwork and balks at having to share the
spotlight with other species from other worlds. He develops pet theories
that place him in the center of the Universe, and is loath to let these
theories go as he enjoys this concept. Reality is resisted.
- Distortions are perpetrated by humans who stand to gain. The religious
elite resist a more realistic view of the Universe as this puts them out
of a comfortable job. The establishment frequently resists truth as any
change to the status quo is likely to change their status, where they
are perched at the top. This human desire to keep others ignorant or
confused is rampant, from the husband who keeps his housewife ignorant
of the job opportunities that exist for women in the work force to the
distributor who keeps a competitor's product off the shelves through
bribes. Truth must fight its way through the mud to emerge.
