There is no truth. There is only perception.

Hear the voice of Gustave Flaubert, the great novelist of France, who once declared: “There is no truth. There is only perception.” These words strike like thunder against the proud temples of certainty. For what is truth, but a flame glimpsed through veils of mist? Each man beholds it from his own vantage, and the flame appears different to every eye. What one calls light, another may call shadow; what one praises as virtue, another condemns as folly. Thus Flaubert reminds us that reality is not a single, unchanging pillar, but a shifting landscape, seen through the colored glass of perception.

The ancients themselves wrestled with this mystery. Protagoras, the sophist, once said, “Man is the measure of all things.” By this he meant that truth is not absolute, but shaped by the one who perceives it. To a man standing upon the shore, the sea may appear calm and peaceful; but to the sailor caught in its depths, it may be a raging terror. Which view is the truth? Both, and neither. For truth, in its pure form, may belong only to the gods, while mortals must content themselves with perception.

Let us turn to history for a lesson. During the trial of Galileo, the earth itself stood as witness. Galileo proclaimed that it moved around the sun, yet the rulers of his time declared otherwise. To the Church, his words threatened the order of heaven; to Galileo, they were the clear song of reason. Here, perception clashed with perception. Was there truth? Yes, but men could not grasp it without the chains of their own belief. The truth was hidden until time and understanding shifted human sight. Flaubert’s words echo here: truth lies beyond reach, while perception rules in the hearts of men.

This teaching is not meant to plunge us into despair, but to awaken humility. If all is perception, then let us not wage war upon another’s view without first seeking to understand it. What we see is not the whole, but a fragment. To live wisely is to know that one’s own vision is limited, and that others, too, carry their own fragments of the greater mosaic. Only together, in the weaving of many perceptions, may we approach something close to truth.

Yet beware, for perception is both a gift and a snare. It gives shape to our lives, but it can also blind us. Prejudice, fear, pride—these can twist perception into chains that bind the mind. The wise must constantly examine their own sight, asking: “Do I see clearly, or do I see through the smoke of my own desire?” This is the discipline of the seeker, the labor of one who refuses to live in illusion.

Therefore, the lesson for us is this: walk in humility, knowing that your perception is not the whole of reality. Seek to broaden your vision by listening to others, by reading widely, by contemplating deeply. When you encounter conflict, do not cry, “I hold the truth!” Instead say, “This is how I perceive, but tell me, how do you perceive?” In such dialogue lies the seed of wisdom.

Practical actions arise from this. Pause before judgment. Question your assumptions. Seek voices unlike your own, for they will reveal to you angles of the world you had not seen. In your work, your family, your community, remember that perception shapes all things—so shape your own with care. Cultivate clarity through reflection, humility through listening, and courage through the acceptance of uncertainty.

And so, let Flaubert’s words remain with you, carved in the stone of memory: “There is no truth. There is only perception.” Accept this not as despair, but as liberation. For though absolute truth may lie beyond our grasp, the richness of perception gives us infinite ways to learn, to grow, and to walk closer to the eternal mystery.