Our regular parenting correspondent, Anna Cole, wrote a thoughtful piece on the deeper motivation behind children’s honesty (or lack thereof) for our Autumn issue. Read it below!
Our Autumn 2019 issue has just hit the shelves – and we are celebrating by sharing this sneak peek of our main feature: a profile of the amazing Brené Brown. Enjoy!
In this important and timely article, Elva Carri addresses the topics of fake news and discernment. In a world of hyperbole, it is important for us to seek the truth, engage in honest dialogue, and dig deeper than surface appearances. This is a sneak peek of the full article – to read the rest, pick up a copy of our Spring issue today.
By Elva Carri
Living in a time some have referred to as ‘post truth’, what does this mean? Why does it matter? And can we turn the tide?
In a great video explaining Post Truth, the Rubber Bandits quote the definition as “Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Boiling it down, facts don’t have the same effect on us as calls to our feelings and personal experiences.
Seeking Truth Around Us
We have so much media to reinforce personal beliefs that we are highly and constantly at risk of these beliefs feeling like the truth. Everyone, wherever they lie on the political spectrum, has a responsibility to seek out truth. Who and what we believe ourselves to be has been appealed to and entertained to our detriment by news outlets, regardless of which one we choose. Many on the left guffawed at the idea of Trump as president and they did so along with their news source of choice. I’m not sure as many sought the truth in how and why he rose to the top. The majority did not seek out why so many people were so desperate for such a huge change. Ignorance was hilarious bliss until it was too late.
Seek Truth in Yourself
In order to dig deeper, beyond bias, we have an even harder task: to seek honestly the truth of who we are. What we believe, what has happened in our lives, and what we aspire to be, all inform our self-identity. Sadly, it takes only the slightest challenge to our sense of self to unsettle us to the point of rage or extreme upset. Who we are is all we have at the end of the day, and we must be sensitive to that. But we need to listen in a way that is so open it will almost certainly be uncomfortable.
You can read the rest of Elva’s article in our Spring issue. Pick up a copy in your local stockist or subscribe to receive it direct to your door.
Here is a sneak peek from Amanda Collins’ full article on being honest with ourselves, which features in our brand-new Autumn 2017 issue. A free copy of the magazine can be found at one of our many stockists across Ireland today.
By Amanda Collins
Honesty with yourself is a very powerful topic, one which can trigger strong reactions. That’s a good thing, because it means that the subject is moving energy. If you feel uncomfortable while reading this article, then perhaps you are not being completely honest with yourself.
I was driving with my children and the story ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ started playing. It’s about an emperor who loves fashion. People in the town promise to make him the most amazing gown he has ever seen, woven of gold, silver, and diamonds. They invite him to see their progress, stitching with invisible thread. The people were actually taking his money in gold, silver and diamonds. Eventually, the emperor goes before the public wearing the gown. A little boy speaks out the truth, “That man’s naked!” However, the emperor is in so much denial that he goes on wearing the invisible gown anyway. He is being dishonest with himself.
Think about this story. In a situation as simple as telling yourself that you will only have one cookie out of a pack of ten, when you know that’s not the truth, look deeper and ask yourself why you’re having a whole pack of cookies, or a whole bottle of wine, rather than a glass? You may be trying to numb a feeling that you are not being honest about in the first place.
Other areas of dishonesty may be about a relationship, an unsatisfying career, or a bad habit. How many people do you still have in your life but wish you didn’t? How often do you hear yourself saying words you question?
If you enjoyed this sneak peek, you can read the full article in our Autumn 2017 issue, out now. Pick it up from one of our stockists, or subscribe to the magazine to get it delivered right to your door!