FALSEHOOD VERSUS TRUTH

 

FALSEHOOD VERSUS TRUTH  

‘Falsehood’ is the opposite of truth. It is a lie, an unreality, a deception, a baseless statement, a defamatory utterance, a fabrication, an invention, a piece of fiction, an exaggeration, a deceit, a deception, a perjury, and a misrepresentation.

Those who indulge in falsehood are liars. They may be even cowards. They are afraid telling the truth because truth about one’s misdeeds or fictitious statements is more often than not punishable.

Falsehood is also used to disgrace others, to spoil the impression of  rivals and competitors, to have an upper hand over their opponents,

Unfortunately, falsehood is omnipresent. Those who always  speak the truth are rare. Even small children and great scholars tell lies.

As regards fiction writers they are not liars. The lies in their writings are a form of literary requirement. It is their themes which demand understatement or exaggeration or invention.

Poets tell many truths which are the product of their imagination.

History, too, is not completely truthful. It is  not a fair description  of what happened because it tells the truth which suits the personal viewpoint of its writer.

There is a lot of untruth in business, personal relationships, politics, religious stories, superstitions, records of governance, and astrological  predictions.

Look at this famous  saying: None but cowards lie.

The English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744) said: He who tells a lie is not sensible how great a task he undertakes; for he must invent twenty more to maintain that.

Falsehood, said the English novelist and poetess George Eliot (1819-1880), is so easy, truth so difficult! Examine your words well and you will find that even when you have no motive to be false it is very hard to say the exact truth, even about your own immediate feelings --- much harder than to say something fine about them which is not the exact truth.

To conclude, the Indian political Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) said : “Truth is God”.  Truth, according to him,  was the most important name of God and therefore it was more accurate to say: “Truth is God” than “God is Truth”.

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G.R.Kanwal

2^nd January 2025

 

            

 

                            

 

WHAT IS LUCK

 

WHAT IS LUCK

‘Luck’ has several definitions. The simplest one is: success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions.

Most of the exact or metaphorical synonyms of this word are ; chance, accident, fate, fortune, destiny, success, prosperity, etc.

To use the above-mentioned synonyms freely may not be correct. For example, fate and luck are not exactly similar. Fate is mostly in hands of God, luck is the result of your labour, your perspiration. Your work, intelligence, perseverance, honesty, good character, right means, competitive ability generate your good luck.

It is not wrong to say there is no such thing as luck. It’s a fancy name for for being always at our duty, and so sure to be ready when the good time comes.

Don’t disagree with a person who says : Hope nothing from luck, and the probability is that you will be so prepared, forewarned and forearmed, that all shallow observers will call you lucky.

   According to the English statesman and economist Richard Cobden (1804-65) : Luck is ever waiting for something to turn up. Labour, with keen eys and strong will, will turn up something. Luck Lies in bed and wishes the postman would bring him the news of a legacy. Labour turns out at six o’clock, and with busy pen or ringing hammer lays the foundation of a competence. Luck whines. Labour whistles. Luck relies on chance. Labour on character.

There is an anonymous saying: “Luck” is a very good word if you put a P before it.

To conclude, here is a short but significant quote by the 3^rd U.S.President Thomas Jefferson : I am a great believer in luck and I find the harder  I work the more I have of it.

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G.R.Kanwal

1^st February 2025