"In a crisis the true facts are whatever other people say they are." - Don DeLillo
In his quote, DeLillo highlights the subjective nature of truth, especially during times of crisis. This is a reminder to critically evaluate information from various sources rather than blindly accepting it as fact.
Don DeLillo's quote highlights the idea that perception can often shape reality, especially in times of crisis when emotions and uncertainty are heightened. This can lead to a phenomenon where individuals believe and accept information as truth simply because it is widely accepted by others. In such situations, critical thinking and the ability to discern fact from speculation become crucial in navigating the chaos of a crisis.
In today's age of social media and instant news, Don DeLillo's quote holds even more relevance. The spread of misinformation and fake news can quickly shape public opinion during a crisis, making it difficult to discern the truth from falsehoods. It highlights the importance of critical thinking and verifying sources in order to uncover the true facts in any situation.
During times of crisis, it can be difficult to discern the truth from fiction as information becomes muddled and uncertain. This quote by Don DeLillo highlights the subjective nature of facts during chaos. Reflect on the following questions to explore how perceptions of truth can shift in times of crisis:
“this was the man who would not submit to her need for probing intimacy, overintimacy, the urge to ask, examine, delve, draw things out, trade secrets, tell everything. it was a need that had the body in it, hands, feet, genitals, scummy odors, clotted dirt, even if it was all talk or sleepy murmur. she wanted to absorb everything, childlike, the dust of stray sensation, whatever she could breathe in from other people's pores. she used to think she was other people. other people have truer lives.”
“For most people, there are only two places in the world. Where they live and their TV set. If a thing happens on television, we have every right to find it fascinating, whatever it is.”
“People say great art is immortal. I say there's something mortal in it. It carries a glimpse of death.”
“The family is the cradle of the world’s misinformation. There must be something in family life that generates factual error. Over-closeness, the noise and heat of being. Perhaps even something deeper like the need to survive. Murray says we are fragile creatures surrounded by a world of hostile facts. Facts threaten our happiness and security. The deeper we delve into things, the looser our structure may seem to become. The family process works towards sealing off the world. Small errors grow heads, fictions proliferate. I tell Murray that ignorance and confusion can’t possibly be the driving forces behind family solidarity. What an idea, what a subversion. He asks me why the strongest family units exist in the least developed societies. Not to know is a weapon of survival, he says. Magic and superstition become entrenched as the powerful orthodoxy of the clan. The family is strongest where objective reality is most likely to be misinterpreted. What a heartless theory, I say. But Murray insists it’s true.”
“He liked the fact that the cars were indistinguishable from each other. He wanted such a car because he thought it was a platonic replica, weightless for all its size, less an object than an idea. But he knew this wasn't true. This was something he said for effect and he didn't believe it for an instant. He believed it for an instant but only just. He wanted the car because it was not only oversized but aggressively and contemptuously so, metastasizingly so, a tremendous mutant thing that stood astride every argument against it.”
“Facts are lonely things”