I’m going to be perfectly honest with you.
It’s not always easy to tell the truth.
In fact, that first sentence is a sure bet that what comes next is probably a sugar coated lie.
Think about all the different ways we say and do things to be polite and not hurt anyone’s feelings, when we really just want to speak our mind and let the chips fall where they may.
There has to be a line where civility and honesty meet, and navigating between the two can be difficult.
We have all had experiences when we kept our true thoughts to ourselves and suffered the consequences.
Then there are the times we spoke up and defended our beliefs, only to be ridiculed or ignored.
Either way, you will feel better in the long run if you are true to yourself first. It takes courage to tell the truth and it’s hard to hear it from someone else, especially if it’s painful.
The library has an impressive selection of books on the subject of truth and honesty. Certainly, there are plenty of books about the current president of the United States.
The terms “alternative facts,” “fake news” and “post truth” come up time and again.
As George Orwell said, “The very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world. Lies will pass into history.”
So how do we as informed citizens, make sure that what we are reading, watching or listening to is the truth? That’s a tough question in this day and age, when we are constantly bombarded with new information.
I believe that we should read anything and everything from both sides, then form our own opinions.
If you want to be able to discern between truth and lies, start with a few of these titles that should help make things easier.
You Can’t Lie to Me, by Janine Driver, a former investigator who empowers you with the tools you need to spot deception in e-mails, texts or Facebook posts.
Michiko Kakutani wrote a book called The Death of Truth: notes on falsehood in the age of Trump, where she identifies the “trends that have combined to elevate subjectivity over factuality, science and common values.” A good read that sums up today’s politics.
Give the book, Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken, by Mike Robbins, a try. Robbins is a motivational speaker and bestselling author who encourages the reader to access a deeper truth within themselves to lead a more authentic life.
Visit the Summerland library and check out these thought provoking books and more.
While you are there, sit down for a spell and read a magazine that you might not have seen before, or read newspapers from around the globe on our free PressReader site.
And remember the wise words of Abraham Lincoln when he said “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet!”
Caroline McKay is an Assistant Community Librarian at the Summerland branch of the Okanagan Regional Library.
