CHOICES SHAPE YOUR FUTURE
By Judith Ashton
“I promise to tell The Truth and nothing but The Truth…” This oath been used for centuries in legal situations and means that the person has lawfully sworn to tell the truth. Once sworn, any mistruths are regarded as perjury, a serious crime with significant penalties, including prison as it obstructs justice and harms the integrity of the legal process.
Many people are grappling with the notion of “truth” as the very word seems to be rapidly losing its meaning and integrity. There seem to be many versions of “truth” bandied around by those with megaphones and believed by those who listen unquestionably.
Many, on social media shout “their truth” loudly, and “their” truth can be a million miles away from “my “truth. With so many versions of the truth being espoused by so many e.g.: my truth, your truth, our truth, their truth etc. what is “THE truth”? Does it exist anymore or are we already in a dangerous place of “post truth”? These are crucial questions for this time and should concern us all. The authorities in Minneapolis tried to lie about shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pettit despite video evidence.
We’re now faced with AI as a great truth bender. Things are not always as they seem. Until recently, we believed what we saw with our eyes e.g. photos or videos, but no longer. Every aspect of reality can be shaped and bent according to its creator and all of us mere mortals can be so easily manipulated to believe just about anything.
Welcome to a world where the clownlike ringmasters with unlimited powers frenetically crack their whips whilst their cronies clap and cheer! What can be trusted in today’s circus as they throw AI into the ring?
ChatGPT might be a bit of a laugh, (or so I thought). 800million people use it per month, (and is worth $500 billion don’t forget!!) Its founder, Sam Altman announced it could potentially, “slip the leash and enslave humanity” but not to worry, he’s not taking any chances, he has a bunker full of gold bars, gas masks, potassium iron pills, his protection from nuclear radiation!
Another billionaire AI tech-bro, Palmer Luckey admits, “I love killer robots!” His mission is to create the West’s most formidable army of AI powered drone swarms, autonomous submarines and jets etc. This is his truth!
These guys have their obsessions, “their “truths and they live in their own worlds. Are their worlds congruent with yours or mine? Do I want their truths and obsessions leaking uninvited into my world? Do I have any choice not to be trampled underfoot in their stampede to rule the planet and create minions of us all?
Who is protesting about the greedy insanity of the gigantic data centres being built in Ireland costing massive amounts of money and guzzling up our energy? Is this a future or a truth I want for our kids?
So, what is “THE” truth? It’s very simple. We are all vulnerable human beings with soft bodies that can be hurt and abused. We are all one family. We all bleed. We all die. We all need peace, love and kindness to thrive, the rest will follow. We all depend on each other and our planet. I’m neither wrong nor overly simplistic. The truth is simple. It gets complicated when greed, gold, power, corruption, fear and ego infect damaged men’s hearts and minds.
“When wise men sleep, monsters rise up”. We must all wake up, cherish our beautiful planet and deal with climate survival issues by joining forces rather than allowing conflicts that none of us want. Where is the wisdom in such insanity? Where’s “the” truth of peace and love?
The more peace and love we cultivate within, the stronger and more resilient we become. This is simple and true. Whatever chaos, fear or anxiety is going on in the world, sit quietly, breathe deeply and slowly, allow thoughts to settle, keep breathing and see what can happen. You may just fall into the truth of inner peace and love for all things. We all share this inner potential and it’s a worthwhile habit to cultivate. Be like the ever shining sun behind the clouds, sit quietly sun-like and breathe. Thoughts, like clouds come and go. As you cultivate this practice and grow in truth and wisdom, you become more discerning and experience more love and compassion, whilst realising the illusion of the circus that so many believe to be true.
