2 responses to “Journey Inward – 38”

1. 

   Krzeszny

   April 23, 2026

   Oh no. Would Elestians teach about lying?

2. 

   A fox

   May 26, 2026

   Lying isn't always a bad thing. Lying is an important part of what allows you to be human. One must be capable of believing in things that are not true in order to will them into becoming true.

   "All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need… fantasies to make life bearable."

   "REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE."

   "Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"

   "YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES."

   "So we can believe the big ones?"

   "YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING."

   "They're not the same at all!"

   "YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—" Death waved a hand. "AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME… SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED."

   "But people have got to believe that, or what's the point?"

   "MY POINT EXACTLY. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE. HOW ELSE CAN THEY BECOME?"

   – Excerpt from "Hogfather", by Terry Pratchett