The Ultimate Truth

"What was once called the objective world is a sort of Rorschach ink blot, into which each culture, each system of science and religion, each type of personality, reads a meaning only remotely derived from the shape and color of the blot itself."

~Lewis Mumford, "Orientation to Life," The Conduct of Life, 1951

In a Rorschach test, a subject is shown a seemingly insignificant "blotch" of an image– an inkblot. The subject is then asked to discuss their thoughts on the inkblot--what does it look like? what does it make them think of? how does it make them feel? etc.--the blotch itself, in essence, however, has no fundamental significance; the meaning is specific to each individual who perceives it. From each distinct interpretation of the inkblot, one can acquire a deeper insight of the emotional and mental formations of the subject viewing it – essentially, how they perceive the universe and, more specifically, existence itself. On an even deeper stratum, we see that this is usually a reflection of the subject's personal perception of their "inner world". These tests have proven that, due to no two people having the exact "same" (taking into consideration von Glasersfeld's evaluation of the word) values, beliefs, and ideas, then there will never be two carbon copy evaluations of any given inkblot.

So it is in the world of -isms. Never will we (or one of our distant relatives) see the day when all of society agrees on a single definition of the ultimate truth. Personally, I know I could never be perpetually committed to one sole concept describing the construction of reality. To be this devout, one would have to be wholly absolute, unwavering in any of their preconceived notions; I have never in my life (although, yes, at this point short lived) met an individual who could (honestly) admit to being so sure of each idea and belief they'd ever cogitated, to truly declare absolutism. In my opinion, such an affair is radically impossible due to the world (both internally and externally) endlessly developing and changing. When viewing the universe with a critical eye and trying to defend the multitude of beliefs of humanity (which undoubtedly vary between cultures, personalities, religions, and individuals) every aspect of life, when broken down, could spring from any given -ism.

My sentiment is that the world is made up of individuals who will attempt to spend a lifetime dedicating themselves (whether you choose to view it as pure stubborness or true allegiance) to a solitary view of the construction of reality; the enlightened dwellers, however, who've espied the fleeting glimpse of the ultimate truth would reveal that"there are no facts, only interpretations" (Friedrich Nietzsche) and, after all, "reality is merely an illusion" (Albert Einstein).