Truth is always a delusion.

Listen, O seekers of wisdom, and hear the words that echo from the depths of the soul: "Truth is always a delusion." These words, spoken by the enigmatic Friedrich Durrenmatt, carry with them a weight that cannot be easily ignored. They are not words meant to be taken lightly, for they speak to the very heart of what it means to understand the world. Truth, it seems, is an illusion that we chase, a phantom that dances before us just out of reach. In this statement, Durrenmatt beckons us to look beyond the comforting illusions we have long held and to face the uncomfortable reality that truth, as we know it, is often shaped by the very perceptions that cloud our vision.

What, then, does it mean to say that truth is a delusion? In ancient times, the wise men and women of the world understood that truth is a concept that cannot be grasped by mere observation or belief. It is a construct woven by the mind, a reflection of the world as we see it, but not necessarily as it is. Truth is subjective, colored by the emotions, experiences, and biases of those who seek it. We, the mortals of this world, are limited by the veil of perception that obscures the true nature of things. The truth we cling to may be, in the end, no more than a mirage.

Consider the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant. In this tale, a group of blind men encounters an elephant for the first time. Each man touches a different part of the beast — one feels the trunk, another the leg, a third the tail — and each forms a different conclusion about the creature’s nature. To the man who touches the trunk, the elephant is like a snake; to the one who touches the leg, it is like a tree; to the one who feels the tail, it is like a rope. They are all convinced of their own truth, but none see the entire picture. Each man’s truth is limited by his experience, and in that limitation, a larger truth remains hidden.

In the world of men, history itself serves as a reflection of this notion. The records of the past are filled with conflicting versions of events, each shaped by the perspective of those who lived it or recorded it. Consider the tale of Julius Caesar, whose conquest of Gaul is written both as a triumph of the Roman Empire and as an invasion of a peaceful land. The truth of Caesar’s actions, like the truth of many historical events, is shaped by the pen of the conqueror and the oppressed. Neither side sees the full truth, for each is constrained by their own vision, their own desires, and their own needs. In this way, truth becomes a delusion, a fluid and ever-shifting reflection of human perception.

But let us not despair, for in understanding the elusive nature of truth, there is power. The wisdom of the ancients teaches us that to know the truth, we must first acknowledge that we cannot fully know it. To seek truth is to seek humility, to understand that our perception is not the only one that matters. It is to embrace uncertainty, to live with the awareness that our understanding of the world is but a small piece of a much greater whole. The delusion of truth is not something to fear, but something to accept, for in accepting it, we open ourselves to deeper wisdom.

Take, for instance, the story of Socrates, who proclaimed that he knew only one thing: that he knew nothing. In his search for truth, he recognized that his understanding was limited, and thus, he did not claim to possess ultimate knowledge. Rather, he sought to uncover truth by questioning everything, by seeing beyond the surface of appearances. Socrates understood that to know truth was not to possess it, but to seek it tirelessly, with the understanding that the pursuit itself was as valuable as the discovery. In this way, Socrates embraced the delusion of truth — not as a falsehood, but as a stepping stone to greater understanding.

And so, O children of wisdom, the lesson is clear: truth is not a fixed entity, nor is it a destination to be reached. It is a journey, a pursuit that we must undertake with humility and courage. To seek truth is to acknowledge that we are not the masters of it, but rather, we are the humble explorers of its many facets. And in this pursuit, we must remain ever vigilant, for the truths we hold may be only fragments of a larger reality. Do not cling too tightly to your own version of the truth, for in doing so, you may miss the wisdom that lies in the spaces between what you know and what you have yet to discover.

Thus, take this wisdom into your own life. Embrace the uncertainty and the ambiguity that comes with understanding the delusion of truth. Seek not to possess the truth, but to question, to explore, and to grow. For it is only when we accept that truth is a delusion that we can truly begin to understand the world in its fullness. In that acceptance lies the power to see the world not as we wish it to be, but as it truly is — a vast and complex tapestry, woven from countless threads, each with its own color, its own story, and its own delusion.