the hour of truth essay

The Hour of Truth Short Summary by Percival Wilde 12th English

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Table of Contents

Introduction

In the play “The Hour of Truth”, Percival Wilde has indirectly personified Money as most powerful through the story of a small family where the protagonist, Robert Baldwin, is forced to sacrifice his nobility and to accept a crime just for the sake of a hundred thousand dollars.

Percival Wilde doesn’t intends to depict any of the family as greedy but he rather wants to stress that money can alter the mind of the most honest ones and also explores greed from different sides .

Wait for Robert Baldwin

The play begins in the absence of the protagonist, Robert Baldwin, where his wife and daughter are tensed and waiting for Baldwin. They are looking at the dark sky and are not sure about the rain. They don’t know whether Baldwin will take his umbrella or not. While they are waiting for Robert’s arrival, they talk about Gresham, in whose bank Robert works.

The audience is informed after their conversation that Gresham has been imprisoned because of the closure of bank due to financial crisis. His trial is on the next day and it is Baldwin, who is supposed to give evidence against him.

But Gresham calls Robert that day, due to which the entire family of Robert is curious to know what actually happened and when Evie suspects Robert’s involvement in the wrecking of the bank, Maratha interrupts to make Evie aware of the fact that Robert is an extremely loyal man and he can never think to commit crime.

John immediately informs that he has seen Donovan, the assistant cashier the last day at the Athletic Club. Donovan has worked there for about eight years. John suspects his father that he must have known about it. John feels that because of John Gresham, his name is ruined. He angrily says that Gresham has been acquiring a lot of wealth in the twenty years while his honest father is getting just sixty dollars a week.

Robert Appears

Finally Robert enters into the house and everyone is curious to know what has actually happened in the bank. On being questioned, Robert tells them that Gresham has tried to offer him a hundred thousand dollars which he refused to accept and he is not ready to tell any sort of lie which can later question his authenticity and morality.

This was the point when the mentality of Robert’s family begins to alter on hearing the amount of money. Instead of proudly appreciating him, the family begin to convince him to accept the bribe, offered by Gresham.

The family begin to manipulate him to say a lie and to help John Gresham. Maratha says that by disgracing Gresham, he will be disgracing his son whose name has been kept after Gresham’s name (John Gresham). It was John Gresham who sponsored John’s baptising.

Suddenly, Evie interrupts and puts her point of view that Robert Baldwin will be hated for sending Gresham into the jail if Gresham tells the depositors that he will pay everything back the next day. John supports her by saying that Robert can become his partner if Gresham is not sent to jail.

Robert Gets Angry

All these mean and selfish comments make Robert angry. But Maratha continues saying that he is the sole breadwinner of the family and his income his not sufficient for the Survival of the family. The family can be saved from the shortage of Bank only if Robert agrees to accept the bribe.

It was totally unbelievable for Robert to believe that the family whom he used to think as “Humble, Loyal and Selfless” are so mean and greedy. He calls them “Shams, Liars, Hypocrites and Thieves”. The family was so greedy that despite the insult, they manipulate Robert to accept the bribe.

By this time, Mr. Marshall, the President of the Third National Bank, enters and gives them a happy news that Gresham has confessed his guilt and a good job is waiting for Robert at Third National Bank. He is extremely drawn to Robert’s honesty and says to his family that “ I can only say to you what every man will be saying tomorrow: “how highly I honour and respect your husband ””.

Here the play ends.

Short summary of the hour of truth by percival wilde [Advanced]

The hour of truth - percival wilde detailed summary the play, 'the hour of truth', is written by percival wilde. the play is taken from a question of morality and other plays. the characters are robert baldwin, martha, john, evie, mr. marshall, and a maid. the scene is set at baldwin's cottage and it is sunday afternoon. robert baldwin has gone outside. his wife and children are anxiously waiting for his arrival. the sky is so dark. the family is expecting that it will rain and they don't know whether baldwin would take his umbrella or not. while the family is waiting for robert baldwin's arrival, they are talking themselves about john gresham on whose bank mr. baldwin worked. now due to the financial crisis, the bank was closed and john gresham is found guilty for that and is in jail. from their talk, it is evident that john gresham's trial is on the next day, and john baldwin is giving evidence against him. but john gresham calls him that day. they are very anxiously to know why he calls baldwin. evie has a doubt whether baldwin has involved in “wrecking of the bank” because every newspaper is mentioning that, and baldwin does not say anything against it. martha tells that the newspaper is unfair to him. since baldwin is working under gresham's orders, the family has a doubt whether he involved in the bank crash. but martha firmly believes that baldwin never did anything at all. he found out about the bank crash by accident. john immediately says that he saw donovan, the assistant cashier the last day at the athletic club. donovan was working there for eight years. the news came “like a bolt out of a clear sky”. john has a suspicion that his father must have known about it because he is “the only witness against john gresham”. since he was named after john gresham, john feels that because of john gresham his name is damaged. even he mentions that john gresham has acquired a lot of wealth in these twenty years while his father is getting just sixty dollars a week. martha tells that her husband is very dedicated to his work. whatever john gresham asked him to do without revolting he obeyed. finally, robert baldwin comes into the house. everyone wants to how the crash happened in the bank. he tells that even he knows what john gresham is doing only one day before the crash. it is under his pressure that john gresham closed the bank. he even tells them why john gresham asked him to meet. john gresham wants him to tell, “i don't remember”, when the court asks anything about the bank crash to robert baldwin. if robert baldwin does this, he will get a hundred thousand dollars. but robert baldwin is an honest man. so he does not accept his proposal. but when the whole family hears about the money, their mind begins to change. they begin to convince john gresham. martha wants to know whether the depositors would lose any money. robert baldwin replies that no one will lose anything. thus the family comes to know that the money is safe. john gresham's crime was that he misappropriated the funds. the family begins to persuade robert baldwin to say lie and to help john gresham. at first, robert baldwin is shocked. martha tells him that since they named their son's name after john gresham, it will be a disgrace to their son. also, it was john gresham who sponsored john’s baptizing. with these words, she forces robert baldwin to help john gresham. according to evie, if john gresham tells the depositors that he will pay everything back the next day, they will hate robert baldwin for sending john gresham to jail. john supports her by saying, “nobody wants to see him punished”. he also feels that if john gresham does not go to jail, he will start a business where robert can become his partner. this makes robert balwin get angry. martha tries to convince robert balwin by saying that now john is the sole breadwinner of the family. but his income is not sufficient for the family to survive. if robert accepts a hundred thousand dollars from john gresham, the family can lead a cozy life. robert baldwin never thinks that his family will change after hearing the amount which john gresham will pay if robert baldwin says, “i don’t remember” in the court. it makes him sad. he calls them “shams”, “liars”, “hypocrites” and “thieves”. still, the family persuades him to accept the money. by this time, mr. marshall, the president of the third national, arrives in the home. he gives a piece of happy news to robert baldwin and his family by telling them that a good position is awaiting robert baldwin in the third national. he hears from john gresham that robert baldwin has refused to tell lie in the court which prompted john gresham to confess. mr. marshall is impressed by his honesty. as the play ends, he tells robert baldwin’s family, “i can only say to you what every man will be saying tomorrow: how highly i honour and respect your husband...”..

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Read our detailed notes on the Francis Bacon’s famous essay, “Of Truth”. Our notes cover Of Truth summary and analysis.

Of Truth by Francis Bacon Summary & Analysis

In this essay, Bacon has presented the objective truth in various manifestations.Similarly, Bacon shares with us the subjective truth, operative in social life. “OF TRUTH” is Bacon’s masterpiece that shows his keen observation of human beings with special regard to truth. In the beginning of the essay, Bacon rightly observes that generally people do not care for truth as Pilate, the governor of the Roman Empire, while conducting the trial of Jesus Christ, cares little for truth:

“What is truth? Said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer.”

Advancing his essay, Bacon explores the reasons why the people do not like truth. First, truth is acquired through hard work and man is ever reluctant to work hard. Secondly, truth curtails man’s freedom. More than that the real reason of man’s disliking to truth is that man is attached to lies which Bacon says “a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself.” Man loves falsehood because, Bacon says that truth is as if the bright light of the day and would show what men, in actual, are. They look attractive and colourful in the dim light of lies.He futher adds,

“A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure.”

It is a fact that man prefers to cherish illusions, which make his life more interesting. With a profound observation of man’s psychology, Bacon states that if deprived of false pride and vanities, the human mind would contract like a deflated balloon and these human beings would become poor, sad and ill. However, poetic untruth is not gone unnoticed by Bacon’s piercing intellect. He says though poetic untruth is a wine of the Devil in priest’s eyes, yet it is not as harmful as the other lies are. Bacon being a literary artist illustrates this concept with an apt imagery that the poetic untruth is but the shadow of a lie. The enquiry of truth, knowledge of truth and belief of truth are compared with the enjoyment of love. Such a comparison lends the literary charm to this essay.Bacon further says in that the last act of creation was to create rational faculty, which helps in finding truth, is the finished product of God’s blessing as he says:

“… The last was the light of reason…is the illumination of his spirit.”

Bacon’s moral idealism is obvious when he advancing his argument in favour of truth asserts that the earth can be made paradise only with the help of truth. Man should ever stick to truth in every matter, do the act of charity and have faith in every matter, do the act of charity and have faith in God. Bacon’s strong belief in truth and Divinity is stated thus:

“Certainly, it is heaven upon earth, to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in Providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.”

From the objective truth, Bacon passes judgment, to the subjective truth, which he calls “the truth of civil business”. It is the compelling quality of truth, Bacon observes, that the persons who do not practice truth, acknowledge it. Bacon’s idealistic moral attitude is obvious in these lines when he says: “….. that clear and round dealing is the honour of man’s nature; and that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work better, but it embaseth it.”

Bacon further asserts that the liars are like a snake that goes basely upon the belly and not upon the feet. Imagery comprising comparison is apt and convincing. Moreover, Bacon refers to Montaigne who is of the view that “a lie faces God and shrinks from man”. Bacon adds that falsehood is the height of wickedness and as such will invite the Judgment of God upon all human beings on Doom’s day. Therefore, Bacon concludes his essay with didacticism with a tinge of Christian morality.

In the essay, “OF TRUTH”, there is no digression. All the arguments in the essay pertain to the single main idea, truth. Bacon’s wide learning is clearly observed when he refers to Pilate (history), Lucian (Greek literature), Creation, Montaigne (a French essayist). “OF TRUTH” is enriched with striking similes and analogies, such as he equates liars as a snake moving basely on its belly, mixture of falsehood is like an alloy of gold and silver.Similarly, truth is ‘open day light’ whereas lie is ‘candle light i.e fake dim light. Truth is ‘a pearl’ i.e worthy and precious whereas ,lie is ‘a diamond’ that reflects light illusions when placed in daylight.

The essay “OF TRUTH” is not ornamental as was the practice of the Elizabethan prose writers. Bacon is simple, natural and straightforward in his essay though Elizabethan colour is also found in “OF TRUTH” because there is a moderate use of Latinism in the essay. Economy of words is found in the essay not alone, but syntactic brevity is also obvious in this essay. We find conversational ease in this essay, which is the outstanding feature of Bacon’s style. There is a peculiar feature of Bacon i.e. aphorism. We find many short, crispy, memorable and witty sayings in this essay.

Therefore, Bacon’s essay “OF TRUTH” is rich in matter and manner. This is really a council ‘civil and moral’.

More From Francis Bacon

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• Of Followers and Friends
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Of Truth | Francis Bacon | Summary | Questions Answers

Table of Contents

Of Truth By Francis Bacon | Summary

Introduction : Of Truth is an aphoristic essay written by Francis Bacon. He begins this essay with a quotation from Pilate, who asks “What is truth?” According to Bacon, truth is a belief that binds the mind and restricts free choice in thinking and acting. The Greek philosophers who questioned the limits of human knowledge are no longer alive, yet some still do. Men go through numerous challenges in order to understand the truth, but once they do, it limits their thinking and they want to go back to lying. Love, according to Bacon, is a corrupt yet inherent human tendency. Bacon, like the Greek philosopher Lucian, wonders what causes a man to love lying because it does not provide delight as poetry does or provide profit as business does.

Summary of “Of Truth”

Francis Bacon’s essay Of Truth is one of his more famous essays. The essay begins by making a genial observation: it mocks those who refuse to admit that there is objective truth that needs to be acknowledged by all. Bacon almost laughs as he says that people oft have a natural love of lying even when lying yields no notable advantage. ‘Truth’ resembles light, but Bacon opines that many people prefer to flirt with darkness because they take some pleasure in lies and take to lying almost without need. Bacon who might have had faced a debacle with allegations labeled against him at the ripe age of 60; however, asserts that truth is the greatest good that a man can possess. Where does Truth come from and why it is so important? Bacon has the answer – he asserts that Truth comes from God and consequently it brings us close to God, and naturally truth provides us with greatest pleasure.

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This essay of Bacon is structured in an interesting manner. It begins with the mentioning Pilate, a symbolic Christ-killer and enemy of God, but it ends by elaborately celebrating God’s goodness and creativity. Pontius Pilate it is said had interrogated Jesus before his crucifixion, Jesus proclaimed that “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37). To this, Pilate had mockingly replied: “What is truth?” and thereafter left Jesus to address the Jewish clergy who were hell bent on getting Christ crucified even over a Barabbas (v. 38). True there is no official record of Jesus’ reply to Pilate but Christians largely believe that Pilate had looked down upon Truth. Jesus does say this to his disciple Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Pilate was dismissive of truth; God, on the other hand, created truth and personifies truth. The the essay though framed by references especially relevant to Christians, Bacon leads to the conclusion that truth is God. Does it not remind us of the Indian thought: Satyam Sivam Sundaram (Truth is God). Bacon does cite various classical authorities and discusses various classical opinions to augment his belief. Not all classical philosophers believed in the existence of truth but there would be some who like the Christians agreed that truth should be highly valued. Bacon is wit personified. He says lying is found oft attractive and truth pain boring, so people would tell lie even when there is no benefit from it. Bacon takes the essay back to the debate initiated by Plato: Poets told lies. Bacon like most of his contemporaries suggested that the lies told by the poets were not harmful in nature. Almost Aristotelian in argument, he says poetic untruth is shadow lie. Finally he ends the essay by aligning himself to the Christian doctrine of truth. Unlike the two essays of our discussion, this essay sees a number of allusions which are used to drive the basic idea of the essay home. Bacon raises serious questions and pushes the readers to think. Apart from allusion , imagery of light and darkness is used effectively: Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond, or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights.

What strikes again is the persuasive nature of Bacon and he does it with such smoothness, that he does not sound like a preacher. The essay is not ornamental like contemporary Elizabethan essays but is straight and simple. There is also a moderate use of Latinism in the essay. Of Truth is indicative of the greatness of Bacon’s mind and art. That he wasa philosopher and gifted with practical reasoning sense is also revealed. Bacon talks of subjective truth that is functional in social life. After reading the essay, we are likely to conclude that Bacon is also a moralist. What are the other aspects of Bacon that we will notice is revealed through the essay? He is a keen observer of human mind and behavior. He candidly says that like in the time of Pilate there would be people who do not care about truth. Bacon reasons as to why people do tell lies! First, truth is acquired through hard work and man is not enthusiastic about hard work. Secondly, truth curtails man’s freedom. Thirdly Bacon says “a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself.” Further he says: “A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure.” In the bright light of truth, man fears exposure. Bacon states that if deprived of false pride and vanities, the human mind would be deflated and would look poor and sad. He uses the idea of truth to create a utopia suggesting that truth can make the earth a paradise: “Certainly, it is heaven upon earth, to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in Providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.” Also Bacon presents the need of truth in civic life: “….. that clear and round dealing is the honour of man’s nature; and that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work better, but it embaseth it.” The liar virtually has no salvation. Bacon uses the imagery of a snake to present the state of a liar. Bacon takes to the French essayist Montaigne who is of the view that “a lie faces God and shrinks from man” to reiterate his point. It is with this that Bacon concludes that untruth is equal to wickedness. He uses the imagery of the alloy to pin his point. At no point in the essay does it digress, it is single in tone in trying to prove that truth could only salvage man.

Questions and Answers

Q. What is the main theme of the essay of truth?

Answer: In Francis Bacon’s essay “Of Truth,” the author extols the value of truth and critically explains that there are many people who do not place much value on truth, as they find lies more interesting. Bacon asserts that truth comes straight from God, so our relationship with truth brings humans closer to God.

Q. What is truth according to Francis Bacon?

Answer: Bacon says that truth is a belief that binds the mind and hinders free will in thinking and acting. The Greek philosophers who questioned the possibilities of human knowledge are no longer there, but there are still some people who question the same.

Answer : His writing style is aphoristic which means a compact, condensed and epigrammatic style of writing. He was expert in expressing truth in a few possible words with beauty. His essays are an example of this aphoristic style. His essay “Of Truth” has many examples of the aphoristic style.

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The House of the Spirits - Chapter 14 - The Hour of Truth and Epilogue Summary & Analysis

Chapter 14 - The Hour of Truth and Epilogue Summary

Alba is held for several months. During this time she is interrogated and tortured on a routine basis, usually by Esteban Garcia, her half-first-cousin through Esteban Trueba and her 2nd cousin through Pedro Garcia. Under Esteban Garcia's explicit instructions, Alba is stripped and held naked throughout her ordeal. She meets other women being held, learns tidbits of news—including the fact that Miguel has not been captured. Trueba is wild with grief and humiliated by his total inability to make any meaningful inquiries through legitimate government channels. He therefore contacts Tránsito Soto who now owns her own whorehouse. She recalls the favor that she owes him from long ago; within a few days she has located Alba. All she can tell Trueba is that his granddaughter is...

(read more from the Chapter 14 - The Hour of Truth and Epilogue Summary)

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What Is Truth? Essay Example

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The ideal of truth is relevant to the individual. Truth is based on a number of factors that are usually derived from absolute knowledge. However, when finding the relationship between knowledge and truth, one questions their own competence and confidence in establishing what is actually true. There are several debates among philosophers and research that try to derive the nature of truth. Defining the nature of truth is routed in technical analysis, a morass of arcane jargon, subtle distinctions from competing theories, and precise definition. Rene Desecrates famously wrote, “I am therefore I exist.” In stating this he holds that only truth that is certain is what the individuals own cognition of their existence. The principle question among the long time debate is to answer, what is truth? This questions have plagued the minds of philosophers since the time of Plato and Socrates. It has been a never ending debate trying to draw the relationship of knowledge, truth, and understanding what is relevant to their own assessment. From the readings of Martin Luther, Descartes, and others, this paper will explore the philosophical questions of knowledge and truth. Drawing on these reasons to come to a consensus on what can be the individual be assured of what they believe is the absolute truth, and what prevents individuals from the truth.

The notion of truth is developed through the ideas, belief, and opinion of what is and what is not. Truth is an object of relativism of an individual’s ideas, the agreement and disagreement of reality. In understanding truth, there are three principal interpretations that are used, truth as absolute, truth as relative, and truth as an unattainable reality. According to definition, absolute truth is, “is defined as inflexible reality: fixed, invariable, unalterable facts.” (All About Philosophy, n.d) Essentially it is a truth understood universally that cannot be altered. Plato was a staunch believer in this interpretation, as the truth found on earth was a shadow of the truth that existed within the universe. This is the hardest interpretation of truth because there can be no indefinite argument with those that try to negate the existence of absolute truth. In arguing against the interpretation, the arguer themselves tries to search for validation in their statement that absolute truth doesn’t exist. In a matter of contradiction in understanding what is truth is to establish that truth exists. In a better interpretation seeing the truth as relative is explaining that facts and realities vary dependent on their circumstances.

Relativism is in the matter of where no objectivity exists and is subjective which the validity of truth doesn’t exist. According to philosophy, “Relativism is not a single doctrine but a family of views whose common theme is that some central aspect of experience, thought, evaluation, or even reality is somehow relative to something else.” (Swoyer, 2014) The last interpretation of truth is that truth is an unattainable reality where no truth exists. Truth is a universal fact in which corresponds with evidence, reality, and experience. Since an individual’s reality and experience constantly change, it is impossible to reach an absolute truth. This interpretation is relative to one’s own knowledge because it is present in their person’s mind. Using this interpretation many philosophers have carved out several theories of truth.

The pragmatic approach to defining truth is by seeing that truth is the objects and ideas that the individual can validate, assimilate, verify, and corroborate. In understanding what is not true it is essentially what the individual cannot. In establishing the absolute truth, it is what happens and becomes true events that are verified through a process of verification.  In the view of this paper, is that truth is dependent on the individual’s fact and reality, as Aristotle stated, “to say of what is that is it not, or what is not that is, is false, while to say of what is that it is, and what is not that it is not, is true.” As confusing as the statement may be to some, the concept of truth is based on a person’s confidence in their own reality as the basis of truth. Not only is the general consensus now, but in also philosophers such as Thomas Aquinas in the 9 th century in which, truth is the equation of things and intellect, more importantly the basis of truth as true is up to the individuals’ knowledge.

In Rene Descartes search for truth, he begins with the method of doubt. Written Descartes, Meditation , “I seem to be able to lay it down as a general rule that whatever I perceive, very clearly and distinctly is true.” (Descartes, 7.35) Descartes add to the questions of what is truth is by the confidence and certainty in knowing that what is true is from the natural experiences and own personal truths. The individuals’ definition of truth is what the person understands in life through logic and reason. The individual establishes their idea of reality from their senses, what they see, and true perceptions.  Descartes wrote in his, Letter to Mersenne , any doubts about truth is perpetuated by the notion that no one can be ignorant of truth because it symbolizes the conformity of thought with its object. (Smith, 2014) Drawing from Descartes works we will answer what prevents us from the truth.

In his Method of Doubt from his First Meditation , his purpose was to negate skepticism by doubting the truth of everything including what we know in our minds. The reasons in which people doubt their truth is based on people second guessing their own subsequent beliefs. People claim to know the truth beyond their own realms of justification. People senses and experiences that have been taught are largely provided from prejudices past down. (Descartes, 1639) People are disappointed that what they believe to be true is often not. Descartes stated, “Whatever I have accepted until now as most true has come to me through my senses. But occasionally I have found that they have deceived me, and it is unwise to trust completely those who have deceived us even once.” (Descartes, 1639)  From these understandings people then began to doubt what they know to be true because they have reasonable doubt.

In order for a person to understand truth, they must first doubt all things around them in a hypothetical doubt, in order to provide a pretense of what we know is the truth and what we cannot know. By determining our own knowledge of what is true, such as the snow is white, because we know there is no other color in existence, we can have a foundation of unshakeable truths.  While the senses can sometimes present falsehood, it is subjective to suggest that all senses are wrong. In determining using one’s experience to determine truth, it is important to note that everyone’s experience is not the same. The way one person sees an event can be different from someone that sees the same event. Take for example the group of five blind men that felt the tusk of an elephant. One men said it was like a snake, while another suggested that was the neck of a giraffe. Who is to tell who is correct and not? From their own experiences, knowledge, and senses what they believe is to be true. By limiting knowledge on what we know is absolute certain is limiting one’s own perception of reality. This is how doubt is raised, and takes away from the confidence of the individuals’ own knowledge of the truth.

Martin Luther takes on the quest for truth through his thesis, which he wrote to the church. In his appendage for reformation of the Catholic Church, he questioned the authority of the Pope, and what their interpretation of the Bible. In his belief that the word of God is the truth, his stance is that followers of the religion must have faith. In believing what is true and what is not, Luther’s is bound by his idea of faith which correspond with God is the absolute truth.  His justification of God being true is based on the works of God, but more importantly the understanding of truth is by faith alone. His unshakeable foundation of what he believes to be true is routed in his on senses, ideas, and experiences derived from his faith.  Just like knowing what is true and not, Descartes share that while we cannot prove that God doesn’t exist, we can prove that he doesn’t exist. While we can see the things around us does exist, if that has indubitable truth in believing that something exists, it is impossible to prove it isn’t true.

From drawing on the works on how a person can assure that they know is true is using Descartes Method of Doubt to provide a foundation in which what we know is true, and what we know is not. Luther bases his justifications of truth on faith and knowledge, while drawing from logic and reasoning to know what is true. A person is able to draw from their own cognitive knowledge in determining what is true. While knowledge all things is limited, one cannot be limited to suggesting to know the truth of things beyond our resonance. Until proven otherwise, what we say is the truth and everything else is subjective. In the relationship between truth and knowledge, Plato and Charles Peirce had their own separate perceptions. Plato believed that truth is derived from a person’s knowledge, while Pierce believed absolute knowledge to determine absolute truth can never be obtained. Plato’s belief of knowledge and the truth is more correct in providing reasoning that knowledge is based on past experiences, where universal knowledge is a factor in determining truth.

The definition of truth and search for knowledge will continue to be an ongoing debate in which many great philosophers in past, present, and the future will offer philosophies to help guide the debate. While truth will continue to be a matter of one’s own perception, in order to assure that what people believe is the truth is to base their knowledge on their own perceptions.  Based what they know on their own absolute truth in their senses, knowledge, ideas, and beliefs that help form their own realities. Truth is relative to only that individual, as people will experience events differently from other individuals. Descartes said it best that what he knows to be true is based on his own existence. Since he knows that he exists, he knows that the reality around him exists, therefore, his own perception of what is true.

Absolute Truth. (n.d). All About Philosophy . Retrieved from http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/absolute-truth.htm

Bennett, Jonathan. (1990). Truth and Stability. Canadian Journal of Philosophy . Vo. 16. Pg. 75-108. Retrieved from http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/jfb/trustab.pdf

Descartes, Rene. (1639). Meditations on First Philosophy . Marxists. Retrieved from https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/descartes/1639/meditations.htm

James, William. (1909). The Meaning of Truth . Authorama. Retrieved from http://www.authorama.com/meaning-of-truth-1.html

Luther, Martin. (1520). The Freedom of a Christian . Lutheran Online. Retrieved from https://www.lutheransonline.com/lo/894/FSLO-1328308894-111894.pdf

Smith, Kurt. (2014). Descartes’ Life and Works.   The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2014 Edition). Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2014/entries/descartes-works

Swoyer, Chris. (2014). Relativism. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2014 Edition). Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2014/entries/relativism

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Character Sketch of Hasan

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Compare and contrast the friendships as presented in the story 'Amigo Brothers' and the play 'The Hour of Truth'. (Hints : value friendship more - value principles more.) Score: 6 March 2020 ----- The dialogues of John, son of Robert Baldwin, at the beginning and in the middle of the play are given below:     Beginning                                                   / Middle 1    He wanted you to lie to save his skin.    / It’s going to be a nasty mess if they put John Gresham in jail. 2    I’d have told him to go to the devil.    / Nobody loses a cent. Nobody wants to see him punished. 3    Wasn’t satisfied with underpaying his employees; had to rob his de­positors!    / A hundred thousand is a lot of money. Now, attempt a character sketch of John Robert Baldwin in about 100 words Score: 6 March 2018

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Of Truth – Francis Bacon – Complete Explanation

by Francis Bacon

Complete explanation of the essay alongside the original text

WHAT is truth? said jesting Pilate, and would not stay for an answer.

Explanation

Here Francis Bacon refers to Pontius Pilate, who occupied a position of influence in Emperor Tiberius’s court. For his involvement in the persecution of Jesus Christ, Pilate was not looked upon favourably by Christians. He enjoyed a somewhat sullied reputation. Here Bacon takes Pilate’s name to express how humans, in general, avoid Truth. They find Truth inconvenient and difficult to imbibe.

Certainly there be that delight in giddiness, and count it a bondage to fix a belief; affecting free-will in thinking, as well as in acting.

People do not seek Truth, and enjoy resorting to falsehood and lies. People like ambiguity , and inaccuracy, so that they can couch the harshness of Truth in convenient language.

And though the sects of philosophers, of that kind be gone, yet there remain certain discoursing wits which are of the same veins, though there be not so much blood in them as was in those of the ancients.

Bacon goes back to the ancient Greek philosophers, who often lost their way while looking to ascertain what really ‘truth’ was. He laments the fact that some of these independent-minded, free-thinking philosophers proposed that there was nothing real as ‘truth’. But, while trying to prove the contrary, they soon wavered, and came out with conflicting decisions. These types of thinkers have all but ceased to exist. The present day ones lack the rigor and verve of the ancient great minds. They are paler versions of their illustrious predecessors. Nevertheless, they, too, doubt the existence of truth, and tend to drift towards falsehood.

But it is not only the difficulty and labor which men take in finding out of truth, nor again that when it is found it imposeth upon men’s thoughts, that doth bring lies in favor; but a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself.

Undoubtedly, people do make very sincere and strenuous attempts to discover ‘truth’. They succeed, but regrettably, they find the burden and demands of ‘truth’ to be unbearable. Expediently, they abandon the pursuit of ‘truth’, and drift towards ‘lies’ knowingly very well that resorting to ‘lies’ is degrading. The world of ‘lies’ is dark, but people, somehow’ develop a fascination for lies at the expense of truth.

One of the later school of the Grecians examineth the matter and is at a stand to think what should be in it, that men should love lies, where neither they make for pleasure, as with poets, nor for advantage, as with the merchant; but for the lie’s sake.

Some Greek philosophers of later periods delved in to this matter. They tried to know why and what attracts people towards ‘lies’. In poetry, some distortion of truth adds to a poem’s literary beauty. So allowance needs to be made to accommodate fantasy and fiction as they enhance the readers’ literary pleasure. Merchants and traders resort to a certain amount of falsehood to entice the customers to buy their merchandize. But, why do common folks resort to lies despite knowing its unsavoury consequences.

But I cannot tell; this same truth is a naked and open day-light, that doth not show the masks and mummeries and triumphs of the world, half so stately and daintily as candle-lights.

‘Truth’ depicts everything very honestly, faithfully and transparently. There is no place for extravagant praise or derision, superficial description or sycophantic eulogy in ‘truth’. Emperors, heroes, military commanders and other men and women of prominence are described with the minimum laudatory language. Truth builds no artificial aura of greatness around them. So, bereft of their unrealistic praise, they appear vastly diminished in stature.

Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights.

A pearl shines in the day. A diamond or a carbuncle glow at night giving an unreal feeling of light in the midst of total darkness. ‘Truth’ is like a pearl. It shows what is visible to the naked eye. It can’t show anything by lighting up something unrealistically. Only ‘falsehood’ has that capacity to make something apparent in total darkness.

A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure. Doth any man doubt, that if there were taken out of men’s minds vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations as one would, and the like, but it would leave the minds of a number of men poor shrunken things, full of melancholy and indisposition, and unpleasing to themselves?

A cocktail of lies and truth has the potency to please humans more than only lies or only truth. Bacon, paradoxically, suggests the utility of such combination of lies and truth. If everything is portrayed in their true colours with no addition of superficial praise, flaterring comments and allusions, the society will appear drab and indolent. Vanity and aggrandizement induce creativity, energy and intellectual activity. For example, if a poet is not felicitated or a player is not rewarded, how will they be motivated to reach higher levels of accomplishments? While showering praise, use of a certain amount of unreal description of one’s feat is needed. Otherwise, the praise will be bland and ineffective.

One of the fathers, in great severity, called poesy vinum dæmonum [devils’-wine], because it filleth the imagination; and yet it is but with the shadow of a lie. But it is not the lie that passeth through the mind, but the lie that sinketh in and settleth in it, that doth the hurt; such as we spake of before.

Some very revered men of great wisdom denigrated poetry saying it contained lies. They felt, the poet adds fiction, exaggerations, allusions etc. to his poem to impart it some charm and attraction for the reader. Bacon says, most of these lies actually may not stay permanently in the mind of the reader. However, a part of such falsehood does get embedded in the reader’s mind impairing the sense of the readers. This could indeed be a sad consequence of reading poetry.

But howsoever these things are thus in men’s depraved judgments and affections, yet truth, which only doth judge itself, teacheth that the inquiry of truth, which is the love-making or wooing of it, the knowledge of truth, which is the presence of it, and the belief of truth, which is the enjoying of it, is the sovereign good of human nature.

So, lies, undoubtedly, deprave the mind. Truth, on the other hand, remains unblemished always. It is absolute and does not lend itself to differing interpretations. Inquiry of truth is a romantic pursuit that demands indulgence of the pursuer. Knowledge of truth means owning this unique gift. When one reposes absolute faith in truth, the feeling becomes very enjoyable . It symbolizes the ultimate good of human nature.

The first creature of God, in the works of the days, was the light of the sense; the last was the light of reason; and his sabbath work ever since is the illumination of his Spirit. First he breathed light upon the face of the matter or chaos; then he breathed light into the face of man; and still he breatheth and inspireth light into the face of his chosen.

When God created the world, He gave the light of sense to the mankind. Using this, human beings could see and feel the world around them. Then God gave the power of reason. Using this, human beings could reason what was good or bad in the things happening pr being said around them. As a result, human beings got the power of enlightenment. After this, God radiated light that illuminated the world which was so disorderly then. Then His light fell on human beings to make them superior in knowledge and wisdom to other species. After this, He focused his kindly light on the face of those human beings whom He loved most.

The poet that beautified the sect that was otherwise inferior to the rest, saith yet excellently well: It is a pleasure to stand upon the shore and to see ships tossed upon the sea; a pleasure to stand in the window of a castle and to see a battle and the adventures thereof below: but no pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of truth (a hill not to be commanded, and where the air is always clear and serene), and to see the errors and wanderings and mists and tempests in the vale below; so always that this prospect be with pity, and not with swelling or pride. Certainly, it is heaven upon earth, to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.

When one stands in the sea beach and gets to see ships being rocked violently by the winds, it becomes a breath-taking experience. In the same way, one can stand by the window of a high castle and watch the fight raging below. This also is a unique experience. In the same way, when a human being can realize truth, he can feel as if he stands atop a high mountain enjoying its beauty and bliss. But attaining such an exalted status must not make the man to feel proud. Instead, he should be humble, and benign towards others. He should engage in charity.

To pass from theological and philosophical truth to the truth of civil business; it will be acknowledged even by those that practise it not, that clear and round dealing is the honor of man’s nature; and that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work the better, but it embaseth it. For these winding and crooked courses are the goings of the serpent; which goeth basely upon the belly, and not upon the feet. There is no vice that doth so cover a man with shame as to be found false and perfidious. And therefore Montaigne saith prettily, when he inquired the reason why the word of the lie should be such a disgrace and such an odious charge.

Theosophical and philosophical truth belong to a certain domain. While dealing with our day-to-day mundane matters, one finds it difficult to stick to the truth always. To make his business and dealings smoother, he mixes some lies to his dealings. This, at times, appears to be a practical necessity. Although, he might succeed and emerge a winner, such conduct is vile and degrading. It is like an alloy where a foreign element is added in small quantities to a metal like gold and silver to give it more strength and toughness. However, such alloying robs the silver or gold of its luster. It is like a snake that moves on its belly always, and can never stand up erect and upright. This is why, eminent men like Montaigne declared that falsehood was universally degrading and loathsome.

Saith he, If it be well weighed, to say that a man lieth, is as much to say, as that he is brave towards God and a coward towards men. For a lie faces God, and shrinks from man. Surely the wickedness of falsehood and breach of faith cannot possibly be so highly expressed, as in that it shall be the last peal to call the judgments of God upon the generations of men; it being foretold that when Christ cometh, he shall not find faith upon the earth.

When analyzed deeply, he said, it means that a person who lies is afraid of ordinary mortals and has the temerity to face God. He is a lowly soul bereft of any wisdom or intellectual heft. When the Day of the Judgment arrives, a person who has lied all his life, can not face God, and will be punished for his guilt. It has been said that gradual erosion of moral values in the world will slowly drag the earth to a state where ‘Faith’ ceases to exist.

Click here for explanations of more essays by Francis Bacon.

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Click on: http://www.englishcharity.com/a-happy-man-by-w-somerset-maugham/

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Of Truth, by Francis Bacon

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• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

"Of Truth" is the opening essay in the final edition of the philosopher, statesman and jurist  Francis Bacon 's "Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral" (1625). In this essay, as associate professor of philosophy Svetozar Minkov points out, Bacon addresses the question of "whether it is worse to lie to others or to oneself--to possess truth (and lie, when necessary, to others) or to think one possesses the truth but be mistaken and hence unintentionally convey falsehoods to both oneself and to others" ("Francis Bacon's 'Inquiry Touching Human Nature,'" 2010). In "Of Truth," Bacon argues that people have a natural inclination to lie to others: "a natural though corrupt love, of the lie itself."

"What is truth?" said jesting Pilate, and would not stay for an answer. Certainly, there be that delight in giddiness, and count it a bondage to fix a belief, affecting free-will in thinking as well as in acting. And though the sects of philosophers of that kind be gone, yet there remain certain discoursing wits which are of the same veins, though there be not so much blood in them as was in those of the ancients. But it is not only the difficulty and labor which men take in finding out of truth, nor again that when it is found it imposeth upon men's thoughts, that doth bring lies in favor, but a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself. One of the later school of the Grecians examineth the matter, and is at a stand to think what should be in it, that men should love lies where neither they make for pleasure, as with poets, nor for advantage, as with the merchant; but for the lie's sake. But I cannot tell: this same truth is a naked and open daylight that doth not show the masques and mummeries and triumphs of the world half so stately and daintily as candle-lights. Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights. A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure. Doth any man doubt that if there were taken out of men's minds vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations as one would, and the like, but it would leave the minds of a number of men poor shrunken things, full of melancholy and indisposition, and unpleasing to themselves? One of the fathers, in great severity, called poesy vinum daemonum [the wine of devils] because it filleth the imagination, and yet it is but with the shadow of a lie. But it is not the lie that passeth through the mind, but the lie that sinketh in and settleth in it that doth the hurt, such as we spake of before. But howsoever these things are thus in men's depraved judgments and affections, yet truth, which only doth judge itself, teacheth that the inquiry of truth, which is the love-making or wooing of it; the knowledge of truth, which is the presence of it; and the belief of truth, which is the enjoying of it, is the sovereign good of human nature. The first creature of God in the works of the days was the light of the sense; the last was the light of reason; and his Sabbath work ever since is the illumination of his spirit. First he breathed light upon the face of the matter, or chaos; then he breathed light into the face of man; and still he breatheth and inspireth light into the face of his chosen. The poet that beautified the sect that was otherwise inferior to the rest, saith yet excellently well, "It is a pleasure to stand upon the shore, and to see ships tossed upon the sea; a pleasure to stand in the window of a castle, and to see a battle and the adventures thereof below; but no pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of truth (a hill not to be commanded, and where the air is always clear and serene), and to see the errors and wanderings and mists and tempests in the vale below"*; so always that this prospect be with pity, and not with swelling or pride. Certainly it is heaven upon earth to have a man's mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.

To pass from theological and philosophical truth to the truth of civil business: it will be acknowledged, even by those that practice it not, that clear and round dealing is the honor of man's nature, and that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work the better, but it embaseth it. For these winding and crooked courses are the goings of the serpent, which goeth basely upon the belly and not upon the feet. There is no vice that doth so cover a man with shame as to be found false and perfidious; and therefore Montaigne saith prettily, when he inquired the reason why the word of the lie should be such a disgrace and such an odious charge. Saith he, "If it be well weighed, to say that a man lieth, is as much as to say that he is brave towards God, and a coward towards man." For a lie faces God, and shrinks from man. Surely the wickedness of falsehood and breach of faith cannot possibly be so highly expressed as in that it shall be the last peal to call the judgments of God upon the generations of men: it being foretold that when Christ cometh, "He shall not find faith upon the earth."

*Bacon's paraphrase of the opening lines of Book II of "On the Nature of Things" by Roman poet Titus Lucretius Carus.

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Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Truth — Is It Better to Tell the Truth or Lie

Is It Better to Tell The Truth Or Lie

• Categories: Lying Truth

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Published: Sep 1, 2023

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Trump Calls for Defunding NPR After Senior Editor's 'Viewpoint Diversity' Essay

A fter a senior editor at National Public Radio on Tuesday blasted his employer of 25 years for not having any Republicans on staff, Donald Trump called for the nonprofit media organization to be defunded.

"NO MORE FUNDING FOR NPR, A TOTAL SCAM! EDITOR SAID THEY HAVE NO REPUBLICANS, AND IS ONLY USED TO 'DAMAGE TRUMP.' THEY ARE A LIBERAL DISINFORMATION MACHINE. NOT ONE DOLLAR!!!" Trump wrote in all caps on his Truth Social media platform Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Uri Berliner wrote an op-ed for The Free Press lamenting the "absence of viewpoint diversity" at NPR, writing that he found "87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans."

Berliner wrote that, due to DEI initiatives that focus on hiring people of diverse ethnicities and genders, "an open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don't have an audience that reflects America."

Berliner also wrote that he "eagerly voted against Trump twice," but was upset that "what began as tough, straightforward coverage of a belligerent, truth-impaired president veered toward efforts to damage or topple Trump's presidency."

An award-winning journalist himself, Berliner added that "despite our missteps at NPR, defunding isn't the answer."

"As the country becomes more fractured, there's still a need for a public institution where stories are told and viewpoints exchanged in good faith," he wrote. "Defunding, as a rebuke from Congress, wouldn't change the journalism at NPR. That needs to come from within."

NPR editor-in-chief Edith Chapin defended the organization in  response  to the piece, saying she and the leadership team "strongly disagree with Uri's assessment of the quality of our journalism."

Journalist Mehdi Hasan also weighed in on the issue Tuesday, tweeting, "This essay has it backwards: you can't blame NPR for conservatives not listening. You have to ask why conservatives have gone down conspiracy holes (climate change, 2020 election, vaccines) & how on earth mainstream media is supposed to cater to them now?"

Per NPR's website, its income comes from dues and fees paid by member stations, underwriting from corporate sponsors and annual grants from the publicly funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Less than 1% of its funding comes directly from the federal government.

NPR is currently rated as "leaning left" by Allsides.com , which assesses media bias, more centrist than the "left" status of The Huffington Post .

The post Trump Calls for Defunding NPR After Senior Editor's 'Viewpoint Diversity' Essay appeared first on TheWrap .

Forensic Science: the Mosaic of Truth and Doubt

This essay is about reimagining forensic science beyond its conventional portrayal as a tool for uncovering truths. It explores the complexities and uncertainties inherent in the interpretation of forensic evidence, challenging the notion of certainty in the pursuit of justice. Through examples such as fingerprint and DNA analysis, it highlights the limitations and biases that shape forensic science. Additionally, it examines the intersection of forensic science with broader societal narratives, particularly regarding issues of racial disparities and systemic injustices. However, amidst the shadows of doubt, forensic science also offers opportunities for redemption. By acknowledging uncertainty and promoting transparency and accountability, we can navigate a path toward a more equitable and compassionate future.”

At PapersOwl too, you can discover numerous free essay illustrations related to Forensic Science.

How it works

Forensic Science: the art of deciphering the whispers of the past through the lens of evidence. Beyond its conventional portrayal as a tool for unraveling mysteries, lies a realm where the boundaries between truth and doubt blur, inviting us to challenge the very foundations of certainty. In the annals of history, forensic science has often been heralded as an arbiter of truth, wielding the power to uncover hidden narratives and dispel uncertainty. However, a closer examination reveals a tapestry woven with threads of ambiguity, where certainties are tempered by the shadows of doubt.

Central to the discourse of forensic science is the notion of evidence – fragments of the past that serve as signposts in our quest for truth. Yet, the interpretation of evidence is far from straightforward, as it is imbued with the biases and preconceptions of those who wield it. In the courtroom, forensic evidence is often presented as incontrovertible proof, a beacon of certainty in a sea of ambiguity. However, this portrayal belies the inherent uncertainties that accompany the forensic process, from the collection of evidence to its analysis and interpretation.

Consider, for instance, the case of fingerprint analysis – a cornerstone of forensic science for over a century. Long heralded as a foolproof method of identification, recent advancements have cast doubt on its infallibility. Studies have revealed the potential for error and subjectivity in fingerprint analysis, challenging the notion of certainty upon which it was built. Here, forensic science confronts its own limitations, prompting us to reevaluate our assumptions and interrogate the foundations of our beliefs.

Similarly, the advent of forensic DNA analysis has revolutionized the field, offering unprecedented insights into the genetic makeup of individuals. Yet, the interpretation of DNA evidence is not without its challenges, as it is susceptible to contamination, degradation, and misinterpretation. In high-profile cases, the allure of DNA evidence as a smoking gun can overshadow its limitations, leading to miscarriages of justice and wrongful convictions.

Moreover, forensic science intersects with broader social and political narratives, shaping and shaped by the currents of power and privilege. The use of forensic evidence in the criminal justice system reflects not only scientific principles but also societal values and biases. Racial disparities in the application and interpretation of forensic evidence highlight the need for a critical examination of its role in perpetuating systemic injustices.

Yet, amidst the shadows of doubt, forensic science also offers glimpses of redemption. By acknowledging its inherent uncertainties and interrogating its assumptions, we can strive to cultivate a more nuanced understanding of truth and justice. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to transparency and accountability, we can chart a path toward a more equitable and compassionate future.

In essence, forensic science is not merely a tool for uncovering truths but a reflection of the complexities and contradictions inherent in our quest for knowledge. By embracing uncertainty and interrogating our assumptions, we can transform forensic science into a mosaic of truth and doubt, where the shadows of ambiguity serve not to obscure but to illuminate the path forward.

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Trump's Truth Social shares are plunging again, erasing billions of dollars in value

Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind social media platform Truth Social, plunged for a second consecutive day on Monday. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind social media platform Truth Social, plunged for a second consecutive day on Monday.

About two weeks since its meteoric debut, shares of Truth Social are slumping, wiping out billions of dollars in value in former President's Trump's stake.

Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group — the company behind Truth Social — lost 8% on Monday after already losing 12% on Friday.

Trump's social media company surges in trading debut in a big boost to Trump's wealth

It's now trading at its lowest level since the company's trading debut on March 26. Trading has been remarkably volatile since its debut, with some big swings.

The sharp declines over the past two days will take a big bite out of Trump's paper gains.

The former president owns a majority stake in the company and his stake was valued at about $2.9 billion on Monday, down from a peak of over $6 billion after its debut on its trading debut.

That's still an eyebrow-raising valuation for former president's stake considering Trump Media lost $58 million last year and had revenue of just over $4 million.

Under his current agreement, Trump is not allowed to sell his shares until September, but he can seek permission from Trump Media's board to unload some of his stake earlier.

The board is made up of people Trump knows well, including his son, Donald J. Trump Jr., and former administration officials.

Analysts had cautioned that Trump Media shares were trading completely divorced from its actual financial health.

But shares are being sustained by thousands of individual investors, many who are believed to be strong Trump supporters.

• Trump Media and Technology Group
• truth social
• President Trump

Column: I spent 24 hours on Trump’s Truth Social so you don’t have to. No wonder it’s tanking

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You’ve likely heard of former President Donald Trump’s mouthpiece and social media platform, Truth Social. You may have seen headlines that its stock shocked Wall Street with its much-hyped initial public offering. Or that in the week since, it has been hemorrhaging value as investors get a real sense of the company’s worth.

But how many of us know what Truth Social is really like? Judging by the platform’s relatively low number of active users, I’m guessing it’s still a mystery to many Americans. So I joined Truth Social, selflessly going there so you don’t have to.

Twenty-four hours of scrolling through posts from “Truthsayers” on the two-year-old platform explained why the site is tanking. In short, partisan echo chambers are stale, musty spaces that lack the sort of oppositional views needed to make social media tick. Truth Social feels like a MAGA town hall in a ventless conference room, where an endless line of folks step up to the mic to share how the world is out to get them.

The Truth Social feed I experienced was a mix of swaggering gun talk, typo-filled Bible scripture, violent Biden bashing, nonsensical conspiracy theories and more misguided memes about Jan. 6 “hostages,” trans satanists and murderous migrants than anyone should be subjected to in one day. Or ever.

What I didn’t see were the anodyne news posts that populate other social platforms, pushback against absurd misinformation about “tsunamis of death for the highly vaccinated!” or ads for much that wasn’t Trump-branded, Trump-adjacent or sold by My Pillow.

Social media has always been a playground for our worst instincts, but here, the madness and misinformation goes largely uncontested because who else but a Trump fan and a columnist forced to write about this stuff would volunteer to wade through such a trash heap? Apparently not enough folks to bring in substantial revenue, according to a recent disclosure that the company had made a mere $4.1 million in revenue in 2023 on losses of more than $58 million — quickly deflating investor enthusiasm and shaving some $4 billion from the company’s valuation in the days since its IPO.

There was little conversation about the platform’s stock plummet, but there was plenty of chatter about a supposed trans takeover, alleged Dem voter fraud, President Biden purportedly sniffing a baby repeatedly during Sunday’s White House Easter egg hunt and a pointless poll from the Daily Mail showing that Trump would beat Michelle Obama if a hypothetical presidential election were held today.

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Trump’s own posts from his @realDonaldTrump account (6.91 million followers) are the backbone of the Truth Social experience, and illustrate what really sets it apart from other social media outlets.

This site has a star, and he garners far more adulation than heat. Thousands of users liked and “ReTruthed” his boasts about a presidential endorsement from Hungarian leader and strongman Viktor Orbán, his complaints about the latest gag order from a judge presiding over one of his many court cases and his link to a Newsweek story about Trump sneakers reselling on EBay for $450,000.

His posts are a mix of loud, Trumpian ALL-CAPS warnings — “UNDER CROOKED JOE BIDEN WE HAVE BECOME A THIRD WORLD NATION”— and run-on, word-salad grievances: “I’ve just posted a 175 Million Dollar Bond with the sadly failing and very troubled State of New York, based on a Corrupt Judge and Attorney General who used a Statute that was never used for this before, where no Jury was allowed, my financial statements were conservative and had a 100% perfect caution/non-reliance clause, there were no victims (except me!), there was no crime or damage, there was only success and HAPPY BANKS.”

To sign up for a Truth Social account, one must consent to receive text “updates” from the platform, and that Google Voice number designed to receive all your trash-bin spam calls and texts won’t work (I tried). Next up is choosing a username. The example given is “LibertyForAll.” Needless to say that handle was unavailable, as was “LibertyForAli.” Once in, it suggested accounts to follow such as Trump, conservative news outlets the Daily Wire and Breitbart, country singer John Rich and right-wing troll @Catturd. I did, and today, I am no smarter for doing so.

Social media is in essence a brain drain between sporadic bursts of breaking news and fresh commentary. And even though X, né Twitter, has decayed under the leadership of SpaceX founder Elon Musk, it’s is still the closest thing our fractious online society has to a town square. Threads, Facebook’s attempt to eat Twitter’s lunch, still hasn’t come close to generating enough heat to make it anything more than a placid space where nothing much seems to happen.

Truth Social launched in February 2022 after Trump was banned from Twitter and Facebook following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He has since been reinstated on both platforms, though he prefers to truth rather than tweet on his own platform, which is still a relatively small operation. Recent estimates from Similarweb show Truth Social has roughly 5 million active monthly users, compared to X’s estimated 368 million monthly users or Facebook’s 2.9 billion. The smaller number of users translates to a rather sleepy scrolling experience.

Advertisers also like lots of users, and the platform’s ads — or lack thereof — are indicative of the challenges Truth Social has faced in finding companies willing to spend on Trump’s platform. A majority of ads, labeled “Sponsored Truth,” are for Trump-branded merchandise: a 2024 Save America “gold” card, a “California for Trump” hat, an American flag embossed with more MAGA jargon.

Many of the retailers who buy space on the platform appeal to MAGA voters with Fox News-like candor. “Liberals Will Hate to See This!” boasts one ad for a “Love Like Jesus” hoodie. But as Monday’s financial disclosure showed, that niche market might not be enough to put the company in the black.

To be fair, a Wall Street valuation isn’t necessarily the only indicator of a product’s worth in the real world, that place where humans with tangible money and staggering debt actually handle the merchandise and use the service. And many tech companies surge after going public as retail investors buy the hype, then take a haircut as interest fades.

Regardless, the volatile stock market story is about the most exciting aspect of Truth Social. Otherwise, it’s a journey into the predictable, punctuated by ALL CAPS.

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Lorraine Ali is news and culture critic of the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she was television critic for The Times covering media, breaking news and the onslaught of content across streaming, cable and network TV. Ali is an award-winning journalist and Los Angeles native who has written in publications ranging from the New York Times to Rolling Stone and GQ. She was formerly senior writer for The Times’ Calendar section where she covered entertainment, culture, and American Arab and Muslim issues. Ali started at The Times in 2011 as music editor after leaving her post as a senior writer and music critic at Newsweek Magazine.

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Trump Media Shares Slump as Early Fervor Fades

A rapid fall in price erased billions of dollars in the market value of the parent company of Truth Social, eating into some of the gains made in the volatile stock’s public debut.

By Joe Rennison and Matthew Goldstein

• April 1, 2024

Shares of former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company slumped just over 20 percent on Monday, as the fervor around the company’s debut on public markets last week appeared to subside.

The sell-off cut the market value of Trump Media & Technology Group, which trades under the ticker “DJT,” by some $2 billion, to about $6.5 billion.

The value of Mr. Trump’s majority stake in the company fell to about $3.7 billion, from over $6 billion at its peak last week.

Still, shares of Trump Media were higher than they were immediately before the firm merged with a public shell company on Tuesday and began trading on the Nasdaq. Strong support for the merged company after it began trading pushed its market value as high as $10 billion at one point last week.

That raised eyebrows across Wall Street, given the relatively small size of Trump Media’s business. A filing on Monday showed that the company generated just $750,000 in revenue in the fourth quarter last year, bringing its full-year total to $4.1 million. Trump Media recorded a $58 million loss in 2023. It got more than $300 million in cash as part of its merger with the shell company.

All the company’s revenues come from advertising on Truth Social, the digital platform that has become Mr. Trump’s main outlet for reaching his supporters and blasting his critics, political opponents and other perceived enemies, including the prosecutors and judges involved in his criminal and civil cases.

Over the weekend, Mr. Trump shared a video on the platform that had an image of a decal on the back of a truck of a hogtied President Biden .

Trump Media stands out on Wall Street as the market’s most “shorted” stock — shares that investors bet will fall. Derivatives linked to the stock, which allow investors to speculate on its future price, have also been popular, suggesting that traders are braced for more big price swings — both higher and lower — in the weeks to come.

It is not uncommon for so-called meme stocks, which are heavily influenced by momentum and the enthusiasm of masses of small shareholders, to be extremely volatile, prone to sudden and steep increases and declines.

One question surrounding Trump Media is whether the company’s board will relax a provision that prohibited Mr. Trump from selling stock or using his shares as collateral for a loan for six months after the shares began trading. But in Monday’s filing, the company said the board made no changes in the lockup provision.

That makes it unlikely Mr. Trump will rely on his stake of about 60 percent in Trump Media to help pay for the posting of a $175 million bond in connection with his appeal of a civil fraud penalty imposed by a New York state judge.

Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, is not a member of the company’s seven-member board. But because of his large stake, Trump Media is considered a “controlled company,” where more than 50 percent “of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual.”

Trump Media’s board is already under Mr. Trump’s sway, as its members include his eldest son and three former members of his administration. Mr. Trump, who served as chairman of Trump Media before the merger with the shell company, is not an officer or director of the company now.

After the merger, Trump Media adopted a code of ethics that requires “covered persons” — board members and employees — to engage in political activities only as private citizens. If these people engaged in political activities, they “must make clear that their views and actions are their own, and not those of the company,” according to the code.

Also on Monday, two of the main defendants in a $22 million insider trading scheme stemming from the October 2021 merger announcement of Trump Media and Digital World Acquisition Corp. were scheduled to appear in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday to change their not guilty pleas, according to an entry on the court docket.

The federal authorities have charged Michael Shvartsman and his brother Gerald Shvartsman with using nonpublic information about the proposed deal to make highly profitable trades. Both men were scheduled to go on trial this month.

No one associated with Trump Media was implicated in the scheme. A lawyer for Michael Shvartsman could not be reached for comment, and the lawyer for his brother declined to comment..

Joe Rennison writes about financial markets, a beat that ranges from chronicling the vagaries of the stock market to explaining the often-inscrutable trading decisions of Wall Street insiders. More about Joe Rennison

Matthew Goldstein covers Wall Street and white-collar crime and housing issues. More about Matthew Goldstein