Sunday, August 12, 2012

Time discovers truth

Seneca in his work, De Ira (On Anger): Book 2, cap. 22, line 2
Contra primus itaque causas pugnare debemus; causa autem iracundiae opinio iniuriae est, cui non facile credendum est. Ne apertis quidem manifestisque statim accedendum; quaedam enim falsa ueri speciem ferunt. Dandum semper est tempus: ueritatem dies aperit.

The cause of anger is the belief that we are injured; this belief, therefore, should not be lightly entertained. We ought not to fly into a rage even when the injury appears to be open and distinct: for some false things bear the semblance of truth. We should always allow some time to elapse, for time discloses the truth.
A common alternate translation of the final words is: Time discovers truth.

In our instant news cycle, it seems as if this classical warning ought to be hung in every newsroom and over every blogger's keyboard. Too many people seem too quick to seek too great offense over the least little bit of nothing (to use a phrase of my mother's). Manufactured outrage seems so prevalent but it is just another form of cognitive pollution.

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