Welcome to Living In The Truth
Four years ago I started Living in the Truth as a project to explore the work and philosophies of playwright, dissident and politician Vaclav Havel. I was introduced to his work at time when I was broadly questioning my own approach to life, work and politics and his ideas had an immediate impact. As I explored his writing in greater detail I realised that his thoughts on activism and politics have a resonance that surpass many if not all contemporary politicians.
The site began with an inspirational start however as time wore on the content dwindled. I’m always busy and it’s sometimes hard to juggle passions - smaller projects such as this lose their priority very quickly.
It has also been hard to find contributors. This site has allowed me to meet some fascinating people who share a similar interest in Havel’s work but it has been difficult to get people to dedicate their own time to a little project such as this (other people are busy too – who would have guessed?). Importantly, there is now a large amount of information available via wikis, blogs, social networking sites, online book reviews and traditional web pages than there was when this site was created and it now seems redundant to compile a compendium for Havel related subject matter. A simple web search of his name provides a mountain of material and RSS feeds can provide information that is well informed and current.
Through this site I have had some great experiences. I managed to attend the Havel Festival in New York in late 2006 and watch several of Havel’s plays with the man himself present at two of them. I was also given the opportunity to do a Havel reading in my hometown of Newcastle for ‘Unlocked’ - a festival run by the Hunter Writers Centre relating to literary and political prisoners and I was interviewed on ABC radio to discuss the festival and Havel’s work.
So where does this leave Living in the Truth? I believe the site needs to evolve into something different and based on the discussions and ideas that have emerged for this project over the last few years I now have a good understanding of what I want the site to represent.
The hardship Havel suffered as a political prisoner is commonly known and obviously admirable however I believe the most interesting element to Havel’s life is how in recent years he appears to have found a way to weave a narrative of responsibility and honesty throughout his work and writing. He hasn’t always said things I agree with but his words and actions always have a steadfast link back to the themes of responsibility, honesty and ‘living in the truth’.
I initially read his plays and realised how little I understood. At the same time this encouraged me to read his essays and speeches and this in turn gave me the confidence to study the history of pre and post war Czechoslovakia. Over time I started to understand his insight, satire and humour. I find its relevancy to the current world astonishing and his reflections on Eastern Bloc life, biting as they were in the 1970’s and 1980’s, have a new and no less potent context when viewed today.
Three years on, the term ‘living in the truth’ has changed in meaning for me and represents more than a concept or ideology. I once assumed it meant to seek absolute truth in all things. Now it signifies a definite action linked to social responsibility. I’m certain this is closer to how Havel intends it to be understood. I should also add that Havel has also taught me that a ‘truth’ can be perceived differently for different people so I’m further away in my search to understand ‘absolute truth’ than I have ever been.
In his essay, ‘The power of the powerless’, Havel uses the example of a grocer who always places a benign communist party placard in his window. He does it without much thought because this is something he has always done. What the sign says is irrelevant because even though he may or may not agree with what it says he is complicit because of the subtle, implied threat of not displaying the placard. Havel argues that if the grocer was made to place a placard that said “I am afraid and therefore unquestioningly obedient” he would be more reticent about displaying the message even though it could be considered more truthful. Going further Havel suggests that the grocer can subtly reject the ‘life of a lie’ by not displaying the placard at all. It is a small subtle step but would give his actions a “concrete significance”.
The writer Bruce Chatwin describes this concept elegantly in his novella ‘Utz’. Many people, knowingly or not, started to slowly and subtly reject the ‘life of a lie’ just as Havel suggested before the fall of communism in 1989.
Chatwin writes, "With their silence, they inflict a final insult on the state, by pretending it does not exist."
Today, I believe that in practical terms ‘living in the truth’ means to strive at not being ambiguous and to always speak and act clearly about ones thoughts and motives. For myself it is also a reminder to critically dissect and evaluate the importance (or lack of) of the avalanche of information that we are constantly bombarded with every minute of the day. Lastly, but no less importantly, it offers a reminder that by doing many small things in a concerted way, a huge difference can be realised.
The purpose of this website is now to be a reflection point for my own work and a place where my life, work and ideas can be combined into once place. Not really a blog but an ongoing project that takes the theme of ‘living in the truth’ and illustrates how it is realised in ALL parts of my life.
Welcome to Living In The Truth.
