Inconvenient Truths

 

Al Gore's climate change documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," came out almost 20 years ago. The phrase, "inconvenient truth," as applied in this case, is meant to say that climate change is real (that's the "truth" part), and that we have to do something about it even if it's difficult and we're tempted to do the easy thing which is nothing (that's the "inconvenient" part).

Whether you agree with the content in the documentary, you surely must assent to the notion that some truths are in fact inconvenient to learn, accept, and act on. This is true of unassailable but innocuous things, like "staying in shape means largely forgoing habits that are otherwise enjoyable," but it is also true of controversial and divisive things, much to our chagrin.

When stories come out that paint our favored political candidate in a negative light, it's preferable to ignore those stories, smear the sources, or deflect to some other parallel point, rather than accept the inconvenience of the truth and have to change our minds accordingly.

When evidence is presented that our favored political position will result in bad outcomes for the very people we say we are advocating for, it's preferable to obfuscate or yell or dig in, rather than learning how things work and doing the hard work that it takes to make them happen.

When we are informed that the very foundations we stand on, metaphorically, are irreparably damaged by structural evils, it is preferable to act like everything is fine rather than bear great personal cost to fix those systemic problems.

I truly believe we have lost our value for the truth. When the stakes are highest and truths are messily inconvenient, we clearly prefer many other things besides owning the truth: comfort, feeling smart, our side winning. The thing about the truth is that its consequences cannot be indefinitely avoided or deferred. I fear a reckoning unless we summon the commitment to truth, and perhaps more importantly the humility to accept when a truth is inconvenient for us and we need to change our tune.