Can You Handle The Truth?

Tonight Raven had us do a quiz to discover our conflict resolution types. This involved rating value based statements as to how well it matches our typical responses during conflict situations and how we react or behave (not necessarily what we think is the correct response).

Most statements were easy for me to rate as soon as I heard them. Others, like the following statement, made me think. This one for a long time.

"Truth lies in knowledge and not majority opinion."

Being an educated, politically motivated individual who studied religious traditions, this statement first demanded I consider the question "What is truth?"

We all know "facts" change as new knowledge is discovered and we have all seen the power in grassroots movements and spiritual belief. It's hard to dismiss the importance of these phenomena in what we would liberally consider the pursuit of truth. Further, if a "truth" is believed by all but there are no facts or empirical evidence available to back it up, does that make it not true? Or is the majority belief in itself enough to make it a "truth" for everyone?

Of course this simplified argument doesn't allow for an understanding or definition of a variety of truths - we all deal daily with subjective, relative, objective, or absolute truths and might even hold different criteria for deciding which is which.

This statement gave me pause because, while I hold knowledge in the highest esteem I also value greatly the will of the people. I think, for the most part, that if the majority of people believe in something then that is enough to make it true in some sense. However, I do hold minority positions in issues I care fervently about - like equal rights for gay people and families - where I believe strongly the religious majority is just plain (and factually) wrong. I can't have it both ways, can I?

It might just be that there is actually no right or wrong way to find or place value in this statement. This might even be a discussion that doesn't have a natural conclusion. What do you think?

Adventures in Edmonton

It started innocently enough… but then, isn’t that always the case?

A woman in a semi-frantic state approached us at a store in Terra Losa while I was picking Duncan up. She said “My kids are in the hospital. It’s an emergency, can you give me a ride?” We were only about 5 minutes from the hospital so how could I say no to that? We weren’t in the car for more than 45 seconds before she asked me if I could cash a cheque for her. I said “No, I can not” in my best Hillary Clinton voice.

What I should have asked her was if she needed a ride to the hospital, because, well, I just assumed. When I got to the hospital and went to turn in she told me to keep going as she actually wanted to go to a house a couple of kilometers away. That irritated me a little but it was cold out so I figured a couple of kilometers couldn’t hurt.

It only took me a few seconds to change my mind. She looked at me and said “We know each other... the last time my kids were kidnapped you gave me a ride. We went to California.” I glanced at her, thinking this was going to be the longest two kilometers I had ever driven, and decided there was something very wrong with her but that she wasn’t much of a threat.

When we finally got to the street she wanted it was kind of dark and a tad bit too deserted for my liking. She said to keep going to a house down the street with a light on where people were “waiting for her.” That was enough for me; I pulled over and told her this was as far as we were going. She did get out then but walked up to a different house. We kind of had a chuckle at her crazy antics, until I got home and found a cheque book belonging to some guy on the floor in the back of the car. It had a few cheques in it written out for 1000.00 each, obviously forged. So in addition to being used as a free taxi (or perhaps a get away car) Duncan and I had to spend a good portion of our evening in the community police station relaying the story to an officer whom I am sure has heard it all.

Best reaction to my story so far goes to Adam B. who exclaimed “Geez Allie, you’re like frickin’ Gandhi!”

Maybe I am too nice.

In other news...

GLOBE AND MAIL: "A neuroscientist working in Britain has found a way to induce an out-of-body experience... The work could lead to a new generation of virtual-reality video games that would create the sensation that players really are somewhere else."

I have been waiting for someone to invent this technology, seeing how I am always needing to be in two places at one time.

The night I was obviously not meant to sleep through...

My various awakenings today started innocently enough - needing to go to the bathroom. While doing so (in the dark, attempting not to wake myself up) I knocked a glass into the sink and broke it. Despite the noise no one stirred. I went back to bed only to wake up again positive that I had heard the phone ring, which is never a good thing in the middle of the night. With that feeling of dread one gets when they are expecting bad news, I get up long enough to assure myself that it was just a dream. However, the anxiety does not go away.

The next time I wake up it is more insiduous - my eyes wide open, I am still, breathing, listening, not sure what has woken me up, but positive that something is wrong. Then, the sound of metal crunching on the road. I turn to look out the window in time to see a man picking himself up off the road - and his motorbike laying on it's side in the middle of it. I think maybe he has just fallen off until I see the car and decide they have obviously collided. I watch - have to watch - with some amount of concern as the man insists on walking (he's obviously hurt his hip but he otherwise seems fine). After they exchange info the driver leaves - heightening my concern as I watch the man pick up his bike and push it down the road, hobbling beside it as he struggles with its weight. I wonder at his tenacity - turns out he only lives a block down from me and I assume he just wants to get home, something I can appreciate. I decide I don't like the road in front of my house very much (our rental car was destroyed just last month in the same place this guy came off his bike).

With the sky lightening as the sun approaches I debate going back to sleep once again or waking my still-sleeping-like-a-baby husband when I see a flash of white-ish cat running along on the other side of the street. My brain awakens even more with the recognition of a cat my husband would be very worried to know is off gallavanting in the dark, so I get dressed and go outside to confront and retrieve one awfully guilty-looking cat.

Now, with just an hour to go before the alarm rings, I am doubtful of any chance of getting any more sleep on this very odd night. I guess it's time for coffee!

Tagged by Duncan...

The Rules:

1. You post 8 random facts.
2. At the end of your blog, tag someone else and they must post random facts.
3. You leave your chosen people a comment telling them they've been tagged.

8 Random Facts about Allie

I am a bit of a geek at times - I have no problem saying Voldemort and I might believe in the force.

I'm an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church (1999), which often makes me think of my favourite Red Meat comic.

I served in the Infantry for six years and have been trained to kill.

I have my hunting license.

I can dream lucidly.

I no longer have an appendix.

I have never broken a bone (knock on wood!).

I love to sleep in but secretly worry that I am sleeping my life away.

I tag Lilly and Michele.

See also: 15 things I have done you probally haven't

10 things in my head right now...

Saturday Update

1. We are still Drunk. I am sure there was some sober time today, but it is now a distant memory. Life is good.
2. The Grand Theft Auto 3 dialogue/soundtrack is even more hilarious when drunk.
3. I have decided Duncan's bro Will is very cool.
4. Duncan confirmed all of his Wedding Party today - Quynn Phillips, Deven Singhal and Rob South.
5. That means I now am short one bridesmaid, having asked two people to stand with me so far.
6. Promised Rob I would find cute single girl to be bridesmaid. I am having a hard time deciding who to ask.
7. Wesley won his play off hockey game today in what was described as the best come back ever seen.
8. Duncan's driving on video games is as bad right now as one might expect any drunk driving to be in real life.
9. The kids are visiting their Dad this weekend. My Ex is waaaaay better than Duncan's Ex.
10. I like my new jobs. Working on the university has been refreshing and enjoyable.

There are other things floating around my head, but I can't form them into coherent sentences so there they shall remain for the time being. Who wants me to talk about news and politics anyways? I believe the last request I got was for more sex.