Dr Syed Khurshid Hussain, Bandra, Mumbai

In an ancient allegory, Truth and Lie strolled together until they reached a serene riverbank, where both decided to take a swim. Leaving their garments on the shore, they plunged into the water. Lie, ever cunning, emerged first, slipped into Truth’s clothes, and dashed through the marketplace, parading as Truth before the world. When Truth surfaced, she found her attire stolen. Too ashamed to walk naked among the masses, yet unwilling to don Lie’s discarded garments, Truth lingered in the water, hidden from view.

This timeless fable resonates deeply in our digital age, where the naked truth is often known but shunned, much like something too scandalous to confront—like pornography. The masses glimpse the truth but avert their eyes, conditioned by shame or fear of its raw exposure. The story mirrors the human condition: we know the truth but hesitate to embrace it, preferring the comforting veneer of lies.

The Emperor’s New Clothes and the Elephant in the Room

The tale of Truth and Lie echoes other familiar stories. Who hasn’t heard of the child who dared to cry, “The emperor is naked!” while sycophants praised the king’s invisible finery? Or the absurd denial of a policeman who, when confronted with an elephant in the room, responds, “What elephant?” These narratives expose humanity’s reluctance to acknowledge uncomfortable realities, whether out of fear, complicity, or blind allegiance.

For a young philosopher or spiritual seeker navigating the riddles of the modern world, these stories frame a profound dilemma. The world is a tapestry of contradictions: belief versus unbelief, faith versus agnosticism, good versus evil, honesty versus dishonesty, war versus peace, love versus hatred, North versus South, East versus West. Amid this chaos, the seeker grapples with a fundamental question: why does humanity, despite scanning the vast multiverse—billions of stars and planets, with Earth a mere speck—refuse to acknowledge the presence of a Creator?

The War of Narratives: Innocence and Villainy

This question crystallized for our philosopher while watching the ongoing war in Ukraine unfold on television. The invasion of a democratic nation by a powerful aggressor evokes the image of a tiger accusing a lamb of polluting its water upstream. Russia, cast as the villain, storms Ukraine, an innocent victim. Yet, the roles of innocence and villainy are never fixed in the fleeting theater of global affairs.

Just decades ago, the West, cloaked in technological triumphalism, invaded Iraq and Libya, ostensibly for oil or to punish vaguely defined crimes. These interventions reduced thriving societies to rubble, reminiscent of a return to the Stone Age. Similarly, the war in Afghanistan saw the West deploy devastating “Daisy Cutter” bombs, only to withdraw in defeat after squandering billions. The adage “All is fair in love and war” rings hollow when we consider the cost of such actions. Even the ancient strategist Chanakya, in his fourfold approach to enemies—conciliation, gifts, division, and force—advised that force (dand) should be the last resort. Yet, modern powers wield it as a first response, often with catastrophic consequences.

The shifting roles of tiger and lamb reveal a deeper truth: power distorts morality, and yesterday’s victim may become tomorrow’s aggressor. The naked truth of these conflicts lies not in who is right, but in the cyclical nature of human greed, ambition, and denial.

The Politics of Deception: Operation Kamal

Closer to home, in India, a parallel drama unfolds. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), fueled by ultra-nationalistic fervor, is reportedly launching “Operation Kamal” in Maharashtra, the last major non-BJP-ruled state. With a carrot-and-stick approach—crores of rupees as enticement and the threat of raids by enforcement agencies—the party marches toward victory. For the common man, the choice is stark: accept the lucrative “carrot” or face the punitive “stick.” Even the most resolute, inspired by the valor of historical figures like Shivaji Maharaj, may falter under such pressure. The fleeting surge of integrity or regional pride—Josh and Jazba—often succumbs to pragmatism.

This political maneuvering mirrors the fable of Truth and Lie. The BJP, like Lie, dons the garb of righteousness, promising progress and stability, while the naked truth of coercion and manipulation remains submerged, unseen by the masses. The common man, aware of the truth, hesitates to confront it, fearing repercussions or seduced by short-term gains.

The Digital Age: Truth Submerged

In today’s digital world, the naked truth is more accessible than ever, yet it remains submerged, much like Truth in the river. Social media, news outlets, and instant communication expose lies daily, but the masses, conditioned by fear or apathy, shy away from acknowledging them. The truth is not hidden; it is ignored. Like pornography, it is something people know exists but avoid confronting directly, lest it disrupt their comfort or worldview.

The philosopher’s quest reveals a paradox: despite humanity’s advancements—mapping the cosmos, decoding genomes, and connecting globally—we cling to denial. We refuse to see the Creator in the vastness of the universe, just as we refuse to see the truth in our wars, politics, and personal choices. The naked truth is uncomfortable, stark, and unadorned. It demands courage to face, whether it’s the reality of a war-torn nation, a manipulative political campaign, or our own complicity in perpetuating lies.

A Call to Courage

The fable of Truth and Lie offers a timeless lesson: lies may parade in stolen clothes, but the truth, though naked, endures. The philosopher’s journey through the modern world’s contradictions—war and peace, honesty and deceit, faith and doubt—underscores the need for courage. To face the naked truth is to reject the comfortable illusions peddled by power, whether in global conflicts or local politics. It is to step out of the river, unashamed, and walk boldly among the masses, even when they turn away.

The child who called out the emperor’s nakedness and the man who pointed to the elephant in the room were not silenced by fear or convention. They spoke the truth, raw and unfiltered. In an era where lies don the clothes of truth, the seeker’s task is clear: to uncover, to speak, and to stand unashamed. Only then can humanity rise above its contradictions and embrace the truth that has always been there, waiting in the water.

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Dr Syed Khurshid Hussain is a senior Physician practicing in Mumbai, India for the last 65 years or so. He graduated as a Gold Medalist from the University of Baroda with an MBBS degree, and has trained in Psychiatry from the Killearn Institute of Neurological Sciences in Scotland, U.K. He also holds a Diploma in Psychiatric Medicine from Bombay University. Dr. Syed also has a keen interest in Social Work with key contributions in the field of education and healthcare especially for parts of the society who cannot afford mainstream education or have been left out of education due to several reasons. He was the founder and President of the United Way Charitable Trust in Mumbai, India whose mission was to serve the underprivileged by providing subsidised education. Dr. Syed is also very fond of Urdu poetry and is an active writer and member of the Indian Screen Writers Association. He has coproduced two documentaries relating to student suicides due to educational pressure from parents.