A great poet is always timely. A great philosopher is an urgent need.
— Tom Stoppard, Arcadia
In 1961, the philosopher Erich Fromm discussed ‘mobile truth.’ In his Afterward to George Orwell’s 1984, he proposed a fictional employee, who works for a large corporation, which claims that its product is better than any other. This employee comes to believe this claim, whether or not it is justified. It becomes his/her truth. However, if that employee moves to a rival corporation, he/she will accept another truth, which is that this new corporation’s product is the best. Though both beliefs can’t be possible, this new truth will be as true as the old one. So much for cognitive dissonance. Continue reading “An Urgent Need”
david hogan 