I used to wonder if my local paper, the New York Times, was biased. This would happen when the paper was to far right, or left, of where I thought it should be. I felt that the paper was twisting the facts to get its viewpoint across. I thought, “Why didn’t they just tell the truth?! Why not just tell me the facts?!”
Telling the truth should be simple. But while I think of truth as being this simple and straightforward thing, it’s anything but. So, as I am want to do these days, I asked ChatGPT for help. But when I asked, “Give me some different definitions of truth,” I got ten different definitions.1
While there are many definitions of truth, I was thinking of the objective truth. This is the “Just the facts Maam” version of truth, independent of any opinions. Objective truth is the kind of truth that can be verified by looking at facts. It’s what most people expect newspapers to report—facts that are accurate and free from bias.
However, just having the objective truth isn’t useful for much. Instead, newspapers present a different, and equally valid truth: contextual truth. Contextual truth is when facts are presented with background information, analysis, and interpretation that help readers understand the significance of those facts. Without context, these facts lack meaning. Facts must be placed into context to make them relevant and understandable.
Take this example. In July 2024, the U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, up from 4.1% in June. Different news outlets reported this change with varying emphasis, reflecting their own contexts. Even though the unemployment rate increase was the same, different newspapers highlighted different aspects of this story, shaping how readers perceived the economic situation.
- In a Positive Context: Some outlets highlighted that the rise in unemployment might not be as bad as it seems. They pointed out that more people are entering the workforce, which technically increases the unemployment rate but could signal confidence in the job market. This interpretation presents the data as a positive sign of economic resilience and potential for future growth.
- In a Negative Context: Other reports focused on the negative implications, emphasizing that the rise in unemployment was unexpected and signaled potential economic trouble. These reports often mentioned that the increase in joblessness set off recession warnings and noted that fewer jobs were added than anticipated, portraying the situation as a significant downturn.
So while The Times isn’t necessarily biased, it’s presenting a version of the truth that isn’t my truth. I’m never going to get The Times to agree to present things exactly the way I want them to. They’re never going to be more liberal or conservative, they are just going to be The Times. That’s their job and that’s what their audience expects from them.
I needed to realize that The Times isn’t “right” by any means. While it brands itself as something that is good for me, that’s not always true. The Times is still a newspaper and newspapers often prioritize stories that grab attention—crises, scandals, and conflicts.
Most of that news doesn’t matter to me. When think about what really matters to me—whether it’s relationships, community, personal growth, or making a positive impact—much of the news doesn’t help me in these areas. So I’ve realized that I need to make an active decision not to let the news take up that mindspace.
I’ve realized that what the news cares about doesn’t have to be what I care about. This shift in perspective has been freeing. It allows me to focus on what’s really important, rather than getting caught up in the endless cycle of news that’s out of my control. By doing this, I can lead a life focused on what I care about and value.
Footnotes:
- Here are some definitions of truth according to ChatGPT:
Objective Truth:
Objective truth refers to facts that are true regardless of personal beliefs, opinions, or perceptions. These truths are based on observable and measurable evidence. For example, “Water boils at 100°C at sea level” is an objective truth.
Subjective Truth:
Subjective truth is based on personal experiences, feelings, or opinions. It varies from person to person. For example, “Vanilla ice cream is the best flavor” is a subjective truth because it reflects personal preference.
Pragmatic Truth:
Pragmatic truth is determined by the practical consequences of believing or acting on a statement. If something works or has beneficial effects when believed, it is considered pragmatically true. For example, believing in good hygiene practices can be considered pragmatically true because it leads to better health outcomes.
Correspondence Theory of Truth:
According to this theory, a statement is true if it corresponds to reality or facts. In other words, truth is what aligns with the actual state of affairs. For instance, the statement “The sky is blue” is true if the sky is indeed blue.
Coherence Theory of Truth:
The coherence theory suggests that truth is determined by the consistency of a set of beliefs or propositions. If a statement fits well within a coherent system of beliefs, it is considered true. For example, scientific theories are often evaluated for coherence within the existing body of knowledge.
Constructivist Truth:
Constructivist truth is the idea that truth is constructed by social processes, cultures, and languages. It suggests that what we consider to be true is shaped by our societal interactions and contexts. For example, the concept of money holds value because society collectively agrees on it.
Consensus Theory of Truth:
According to the consensus theory, truth is whatever is agreed upon by a group of people. It emphasizes the role of social agreement or consensus in determining what is true. This is often seen in legal systems where a jury’s verdict is considered the truth in the context of a trial.
Relativistic Truth:
Relativistic truth is the idea that truth can vary depending on different perspectives or cultural contexts. It suggests that there is no absolute truth, and what is true for one person or culture might not be true for another. For example, moral truths can be relativistic, as different cultures have different views on what is right or wrong.
Contextual Truth:
Contextual truth refers to truth that is presented within a specific context, which helps to shape how it is understood. This type of truth considers the background information, circumstances, and nuances that influence the interpretation of facts. For example, reporting on an economic statistic like unemployment might include contextual truth by explaining how the number relates to broader economic trends, thereby influencing the reader’s perception of whether it is positive or negative.
Deflationary Theory of Truth:
This theory argues that the concept of truth is not a substantive property but rather a linguistic convenience. It suggests that saying “it is true that” adds nothing to the statement itself. For instance, saying “It is true that snow is white” is no different from just saying “Snow is white.”
Alethic Truth:
Alethic truth relates to the necessity or possibility of a proposition being true. It deals with modal logic, focusing on statements that are necessarily true, possibly true, or contingent upon certain conditions. For example, “2 + 2 = 4” is considered an alethic truth because it is necessarily true in all possible worlds. ↩︎
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