True Enough Response - Perception of Reality

The controversial book True Enough written by Farhad Manjoo discusses significant topics present in the United States’ public sphere, emphasizing the perception of reality; what and why we choose to believe the things that we do. A number of situations are explored and deliberated, but ultimately Manjoo advises that when considering the truth people “choose wisely” (Manjoo 230). This message proves to be particularly intriguing as all of his examples are relevant to the public sphere, its’ technology, and the individuals that encompass it.

I personally enjoyed reading the somewhat unusual outlook that Manjoo holds regarding truth and its’ validity; he has no issue with publicly challenging established beliefs of the general population. “Experts” are placed under a magnifying glass and examined; in this day and age it has become more difficult to determine the true experts from those individuals who simply forge their knowledge. Manjoo states: “We consult experts specifically to learn something about which we are ignorant. The transaction is inherently treacherous because ignorance puts us at a disadvantage, too. How can we know whether the ‘experts’ who dominate the public discourse really are expert?” (Manjoo 108) With the technology available in our world it has become easier to fake expertise in a specific field, thus clouding the perception of truth regarding a topic.

What one perceives as fact often depends on personal principles: “we choose our personal versions of truth by subscribing to the clutch of specialists we find agreeable and trustworthy” (Manjoo 107). It is scary to consider that truth may not actually be the truth, as we only recognize our personal certainty. The truth then has an unlimited amount of possibilities. Once an attitude regarding reality is established, people do not tend to stray from it: “People tend to interpret and understand new information in a way that accords with their own views” (Manjoo 150). These statements caused me to reflect on my own opinions; “why do I believe what I do?” Manjoo presents legitimate arguments, reflected in my personal beliefs.

True Enough raises important points relevant to each individual and each society. It is important to be open to other viewpoints besides your own, consider other accounts and generate your perception of truth from there.