the resonance of truth

The internet doesn’t make people mean,
it just concentrates the cruelty.

     Michael Bang Petersen, Danish political scientist

i
fiction is truth
     beyond truth.

conspiracy is a lie.

ii
lies are more addictive
     than virtue.

iii
artificial intelligence was
     created by man––
      unconcerned with dishonesty
unflustered by ethics.

iv
truth surrounds us
     like the invisible, windy sky
          that we breathe––

it perfectly sustains us
     unless we’re deprived of it––
even for a moment.

v
lies are curious.
     lies are entertaining.
          lies are poison
to the soul.

vi
truth is our nature.

vii
to be true to ourselves
     we need to be
honest.

viii
we harm our souls
     & violate the universe
when we lie.

ix
what is the truth?
     what is ultimately true?
          we do not honestly
know.

x
the truth may be
     unreachable from here
          where we are––

but we’re honor-bound
     to reach for it
          with all we are
& all we’ve got.