Truth is Like House Lights

The truth never feels like a cool refreshing glass of ice water. Not even for those aflame with unnecessary duress which would instantly be relieved by some illuminating truth. In fact, the greater the unnecessary duress, the more the truth seems to chafe.

Why? As with most insights into vexing human mysteries, the answer is ridiculously "duh": Having fought mightily against truth to put themselves into unnecessary duress, they're unsurprisingly unreceptive to it.

Why do people work so hard to put themselves into unnecessary duress? What's the thinking behind self-destructive behavior?

We suppose it's irrational, but it's certainly not. We're all here to act out dramas, and self-destructive people have tweaked parameters for more challenging gameplay. They're simply working at a more advanced level, like increasing resistance on a StairMaster. They've rejected the easy win, that's all.

Those who've shifted perspective and tasted some truth may feel poised to heal the world. But such people have historically been swiftly slated for crucifixion. Because if you imagine that the truth really heals, the joke's on you. You’re like the lunatic in the audience who rushes to the stage to protect Caesar from the stabbing knives. There's no denying that falsehood would be thus dispelled, tragedy prevented, and the sham nature of the enterprise entirely illuminated. Good job on that. However, you'll have ruined the experience for all present.

In a MMORPG world, eagerly devoted to drama and affectation, the truth - with all its vaunted power of illumination - is as welcome as glaring house lights suddenly switching on mid-show, shocking dark-adapted eyes and spoiling the deliberate suspension of disbelief.