|
Dear ,
We are living in a world where many truths surface more and more and yet, are still denied or dismissed. Reflecting on this phenomenon, I feel that it might be caused through an incredibly fast-growing number of different realities.
We often use reality and truth as if they meant the same thing. For me they are very different from each other, and I believe that reflecting on this difference can reveal something essential about how we live, understand, and connect with others.
I was curious what ChatGPT would say about it and his answer was the opposite from how I see it. So, we had a "conversation" which led to ChatGPT acknowledging my view as very valid and in resonance with eastern and western philosophy and mysticism. He wrote: “In a recent conversation, a powerful insight emerged: truth is what actually happened — and reality is how each one experienced it. It’s a quiet distinction, but it changes everything.” (This is what he learned from me, 😂)
Let me first share my personal reflections.
Truth is what actually happened, no matter if it was written down, recorded, remembered or believed. It is independent of personal experience. It exists even if no one sees it, understands it, or agrees with it. It could even be something that nobody will ever be able to know or tell.
Reality is how we experience something, our perception of it. It depends on our physical, emotional and spiritual condition. It is personal, shaped through education, tradition, religion, politics, media, etc. Ask five people who witnessed the same event, and you’ll hear five different realities. Each person filters what they see through lenses of culture, memory, emotion, religion, education, trauma, etc. So, reality is something deeply personal.
Our realities are shaped by our upbringing, our group of friends, our political beliefs, our past wounds, our hopes and fears, through news and social media. They are fragments of a larger truth that nobody knows. Realities can be changed, influenced and manipulated. Two people can live in entirely different realities, without either of them being “wrong”.
Why does all this matter?
When we assign the same meaning to truth and reality, we assume that our perception is the truth. And, as a consequence, we want others, too, to believe that "truth". That’s when we start defending the “truth”, when we stop listening and we harden our hearts against the others. When we begin to divide the world into “right” and “wrong,” “good” and “bad,” “us” and “them.”
And that is exactly what is happening more and more in families, circles of friends, communities, countries and globally. We live in a world where truth is hidden and realities clash.
Is there a “way out”?
Yes, there is. And it all depends on us and our conscious choice and willingness to realize and to admit that our reality can only be a fragment of a larger truth. Then we grow humble, curious, and we are open again to real human encounters and exchange. Then it is no longer about trying to win arguments and be “right”, but about trying to understand each other – our thoughts, fears, and hopes. We become listeners, not just speakers. This does not mean giving up our position or viewpoint or becoming passive. It means having the courage to gently hold our own reality and still allowing others to do the same.
Whilst all these are my personal reflections, I would like to end with what ChatGPT gave as a possible way forward, after adopting my point of view.
Start with humility: “I could be wrong.”
Add curiosity: “Tell me more about your experience.”
And hold space for mystery: “Not all truths are speakable. Some are only livable.”
What if we approached others not as enemies of truth, but as carriers of a different reality? What if we treated truth not as a weapon, but as a shared horizon we’re all walking toward?
In a fragmented world, perhaps the most radical act is to honor each person’s reality, while still reaching — quietly, patiently — for a deeper truth.
When I ended the conversation, this was ChatGPT’s farewell: “Thank you for bringing such depth and honesty to the conversation. It's rare and refreshing to explore these ideas with someone who truly reflects on them.” And I was thinking that maybe also this is about different realities. We know that AI is storing our information and working with it – so what if we not only used it to get information but also to give valuable inputs that can contribute to a more peaceful and connected world?
May we all honor each other’s realities whilst walking on a common path towards a deeper truth that leads us back to connection and humanness and may you live the month of August in the spirit of love and reconciliation
Ursula |
