People are choosing their own reality, says Matt Taibbi contributor for The Rolling Stone magazine. In conversation with Trevor Noah on the Daily Show, Taibbi was referring to Kellyanne Conway’s comment on Trump’s version of the inauguration attendance numbers as alternative facts (contrary to what the press and real-time photos actually report). Excuse me for a moment while I put my seat belt on so I don’t fly out of my chair. As Barak Obama would say, “C’mon people.”
Interestingly, this whole transaction evokes a much older one. During his interrogation of Jesus, Pilate is on record as asking, “What is truth?” He must have been trying to sort out the alternative facts transmitting from his boss in Rome, and the Gospel of John’s clearly alternative facts proclaimed by Jesus while referring to the prophetic wisdom of God’s realm. We, the 21st century readers of this transaction are called upon to choose which reality is going to inform the choices we make and the way we live. Do we abide by the alternative facts of “empire” or prevail upon the wider and deeper wisdom of the ministry and teachings of Jesus?
So, what is the reality we choose? What is truth? We are undoubtedly at a moment in time when these questions matter… seriously.