Why Do We Fear Truth?
By the Writer
Socratease
You may ask, what is truth? Understandably, our views on truth can differ. Merriam-Webster defines the truth as an agreement with fact or reality. But, instead of this becoming an epistemological argument or a deep dive into metaphysics, let’s stick to individual and societal truth avoidance. For the sake of this argument, truth will refer to facts or conclusions that are uncomfortable and therefore easier to avoid. Contextual, rather than purely philosophical.
People can be afraid of questions. They’re scared to ask them. Scared to answer them. It could be about the world around them or themselves. Some may say our shared reality has been distorted in recent times, and our views have become more divided. Rapid technological advances and highly accessible media mean vast and fast spreading of information and this isn't always factual. Severe cancel culture has made it difficult for people to share openly.
Difficult questions might be: Do you really believe in God? Is it morally acceptable to marry someone twenty years younger than you? What are your views on a man hitting a woman? Is murder forgivable if it's out of revenge?
Why fear the question?
The fear is in what follows — the answer.
A question or answer that completely rattles our core beliefs or sends our ego into overdrive is unpleasant. It might be that we fear what the herd thinks of us or we fear who we really are. Either way, our resistance to truth hinders us from open-mindedness and growth.
Research shows several reasons why people fear truth:
Cognitive Dissonance
The mental discomfort you feel when your actions, beliefs, or attitudes contradict each other [1] . In music, “dissonance” is “a combination of sounds or musical notes that are not pleasant when heard together.” Imagine a poorly tuned piano featuring erratic cymbals. No one wants to hear that.
Shattered Assumptions
Similar to cognitive dissonance, the Shattered Assumptions Theory (Janoff-Bulman, 1992) explains that individuals develop worldviews that allow for healthy human functioning. The worldview’s primary function is to provide the individual with meaning, self-esteem, and the illusion of invulnerability. When individuals experience an event that damages their worldview, they no longer perceive the world as predictable or themselves as impenetrable [2] .
Awkwardness or Conflict [1]
The truth can be hard to handle, let alone when confronted with it by someone else. Or, what if you’re the one confronting? It can feel uneasy to open up to someone honestly, especially if you fear social rejection or guilt.
Fear of Rejection
It’s like being in a tribe — I mean, we basically still work like that, but we're much more evolved. We’re not all hunting for food and trying to start fires with sticks, but we still rely on each other to survive. Social isolation is daunting to most of us. If by speaking up, you upset the tribe and they cast you out, it may prevent you from doing it.
Why is the truth so important?
There are many reasons why we fear truth. I wonder how often we neglect ourselves to remain in the hazy illusion of comfort or to pacify the pack. Truth can open our minds to a better experience of ourselves and others. This is not simply about one person, it is about society, and how we communicate and connect with one another.
I believe we should question society, loved ones, and ourselves, even when the majority disagrees. Without it, innovation, exploration, and progress would be dramatically slowed. Great thinkers like Socrates and Galileo were punished because they questioned established beliefs, and like-minded challengers are still being undermined and penalised today. Socrates challenged aspects of Athenian society, and Galileo provided evidence for heliocentrism. The way we see the world today has been influenced by both of them.
We need people to challenge others and themselves. Disagreement can be brilliant.
The Illusory Truth Effect (also known as the validity effect) is a psychological phenomenon in which people are more likely to believe a statement is true if they have been exposed to it before [3]. It is worth noting motivated reasoning and information avoidance here too. We forget our biases, as well as external pressures. If we can’t reflect, learn and become aware of our psychological blind spots, then the truth will be harder to obtain.
Despite what truth we come to learn, there will always be another perspective to consider. Sometimes, truth is met with rage and resistance. Perhaps it takes integrity, bravery, and resilience to question thoroughly, answer wholeheartedly, and conquer the fear of truth.
An unbelieved truth can hurt a man much more than a lie. It takes great courage to back truth unacceptable to our times.
- John Steinbeck
Sources:
[1] Medium article: Why are so many People Afraid of the Truth? | by Gregory Jackson, Spiritual Educator | ILLUMINATION | Medium
[2] PMC article: From Shattered Assumptions to Weakened Worldviews: Trauma Symptoms Signal Anxiety Buffer Disruption - PMC
[3] Britannica article: Illusory truth effect | psychology | Britannica