23 September 2009

Truth, Autonomy, and the Life Text Creates

Truth is defined as the conformity with fact or reality. But in every matter, truth is based on the interpretations, perceptions and perspectives of each person involved. In reality, how can any of us be wholly truthful if interpretations differ from person to person? What may seem to be of truth to one person may present itself in a polar opposite manner to another person; we can never be “truly truthful” about anything – even ourselves. Since we interpret our own lives differently than outsiders interpret our lives, there is no real way in which we can describe ourselves and still maintain wholehearted honesty. If the mere factor of being oneself is not a liable enough excuse to state that he or she is truthful about himself or herself, then how can anyone be truthful about himself or herself in an autobiography? Autobiographies are documented thoughts, views, and components of someone’s life, written in that someone’s words. The author of an autobiography has the ability to create whatever life about which he or she desires to write, whether that life includes actual experiences from his or her past or people with whom he or she has interacted through the course of his or her life.

Whether or not an author of an autobiography chooses to include past experiences with people in his or her writing, everyone interacts with other people at some point in his or her life. Without the influences of others, no one would be able to exist, let alone live. Everyone with whom one comes into contact has some effect on him or her, regardless of the weight of the effect. One cannot maintain an individual or autonomous existence because everyone is dependent on other people, directly and indirectly. Without others, an author could not write, period; let alone recount on anything of any interest on which he or she could write. If an author does include the people who have affected him or her, though, there is still the interpretation variable.

If interpretation is the true basis on which truth is determined, then text could, in no way, come from life. There are too many components in one’s life to include in one sitting and along with the components, there are the perceptions of that life. Thus, lived lives do not spawn text, but rather text spawns life. Life has its influence on the content of autobiographies, but autobiographies present new life and an infinite amount of events for people to, once more, interpret.

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