Truth

Going back to the The Things They Carried, I thought it was an eye opening topic to discuss the validity of the book and how it either makes it breaks it for the reader. While reading it I had no idea that everything he was saying was either real or fake. I read it more open minded in hopes of it ending up non fiction so that I may envy all of the horribly incredible events that this man has endured. After finding out that it is a work of fiction I still feel a sense of gratification just in an entirely different way, in a way that I almost feel I need to re-read the book to get a new appreciation out of it from another perspective. This topic also got me thinking about life, but when doesn't this class force you to think about life outside the box. When I tell a story I tell it as truthfully as possible but then it is true, I never remember every detail to the grain so I fill in my gaps with things that might be more interesting or where I have no recollection. And often times we tell others what they want to hear rather than the truth to avoid a world filled with emotional chaos. I wonder though is this necessary? To relate to others it is always almost automatic to exchange stories that have happened to you, which is what essentially builds trust. So if we as a people cannot help to lie, or stretch the truth, or even create an entire event just to contribute in conversation, how much of life is real? Naturally facts are facts. Two plus two will always be four and there isn't a teacher who could stretch that. But as far as relationships, which is what most jobs or even things as big as being the president are, can they ever really be trusted or do we just say the things people want to hear without always being able to help it. Not only do I no question the validity of this book, I now question the validity of life and the things that have been told to me up until this point.

Also on a less serious note: I really enjoyed the comment in class that follows; "We have no say in democracy." As small of a phrase as it is, this sentence is very powerful and I would have to argue is correct to a deeper degree. Yes we can vote, but once the guy we pick is in office he can do whatever he feels is right, and then at the same time use rhetoric to tell the people what he thinks they want to hear. And that in a nutshell is how this stupid country, no stupid world, operates, yet we are obligated to sit back and find our place in it until our lie (not life) is over.