As Oscar Wilde once satirically stated, "the truth is rarely pure and never simple." Often there are contexts with layers upon layers burying what is true beneath piles of lies and muddled mixes between truths and falsehoods, preventing a simple clear answer from coming about on essentially anything.
Wilde's play, The Importance of Being Earnest, puts this statement into perspective in a comical way, showing the consequences of fiddling with the boundaries of truth and crossing the line into the realm of falsity. The misadventures of English gentlemen Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing are Wilde's way of presenting this fact to a reader, with the abstract concept of "bunburying" representing the act of bending truths to receive a more preferred outcome for a specific person. In this case, Algernon bends the truth to give himself a sort of entertainment, much to Jack's chagrin.
The play is just one simple example of this concept of bending the truth and muddling the line between lies and honesty. The work ends simply, with the trickery conceived by Algernon being resolved and all parties being generally satisfied, keeping up a comical tone and basic plot line. In reality, there is not often such a smooth resolution. The consequences of the convolution the truth have much greater repercussions than a simple mishap in marriage proposal. Once the truth is no longer clear, then pure intents are missed, and tension is created due to the contamination caused by falsehood.
This concept, while stunting for a progressive society, is, unfortunately, a staple of how many live their lives. How many people do you know willingly and openly state a simple truth? The world revolves around the game of self preservation and the most popular cheat is the benefit of dishonesty that thrives under the ruse of candor. Why would anyone risk being honest when their reputations, entertainment, and success could be at stake? If the rest of the world is dwelling in a world of falsity, then what benefit is there to being in the minority of those who rise above and state the truth and nothing but the truth?
Perhaps one should consider the rarity of having the trait of true candor. It would definitely create a distinction from many of their peers. But this road, like many of the purer variety, would be immensely more difficult to thrive on. Perhaps, for the more cynical variety of people, one should simply manipulate the system even more so than it is being controlled already. Is there a way to state the truth in a way that appears complex but is in reality comically simple? Realistically, there are few "pure and simple" scenarios in which one could go about living honest or dishonest lives, as each attempt at either result in discussions such as this: complex and somewhat confusing.
To change society into a world of truth would, regrettably, require even more convolution to resolve the numerous entanglements most people find themselves in. The energy needed to achieve this would be infinite. To create an entire new frame of thinking is to unhinge centuries of deception, foolery, and self preservation, and would definitely fail to sit well with those who have worked to achieve their definition of greatness. That leaves the equally unsettling reality of living in a world of complex truth. If society's way of thinking can't change, then how can one adjust their lifestyle to achieve some sort of true honesty? Can one truly succeed and be satisfied with themselves by simply going along with the twisted ways instilled by generations of pretense or are the consequences too great? Can society truly succeed at being great if this false truth exists? Perhaps consider consulting Oscar Wilde for his opinion, it, at least, seems honest enough to provide clear insight.
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