Dictates of culture?

Well, to start off, apparently with our new Mac I have to find another program to be able to use all the fun blogger features. I may just try editing with Brian's laptop...ahhhh, the joys of being a two computer family!

But, I was thinking about the concept of truth...maybe you should call truth a construct, I am not sure. In fact, I am taking a stream of consciousness break to find definitions that I can hang my thoughts on...

So according to Dictionary.com, a concept is: a general notion or idea; or a directly conceived or intuited object of thought. It is also a possible synonym for construct, which is defined as: an image, idea, or theory, especially a complex one formed from a number of simpler elements.

Possible distinctions are the a concept is a bit of thought, something you concieve in your mind, where as a construct, while having the same elements of being a bit of thought, also has the element of a more complex thing formed of simpler parts. So I suppose the truth is in this case being the simplest thing a concept...and then being made palatable by coming under the shelter of tact and diplomacy it is then more of a construct.

Let me back up a moment... I found myself fielding questions in an impromptu discussion period this past week. Now, I should clarify that I was not uncomfortable doing this, but upon conclusion of the session I was told that I presented a bleak picture of the topic of conversation. Now, for interests sake, I am going to try not to mention the issue being discussed because the general consensus will likely be that the situation is bleak. If you chose to see the situation as not 'bleak' then you are considering angles that would not normally impinge on the course of thought pertaining to this issue.

But for argument sake, let's say I presented an unfairly bleak picture then what should my response be. I am thinking that my response should be one of apology and self-correction. But what if I told the bare truth and offended an observer, should I then also apologize and self-correct for the sake of the offended party. Now, what if the offended party is a guest, does it then bear more heavily on me to apologize?

For me I felt put in an unbearable situation, where the implication was put out that I was presenting an unfairly impoverished senario, and yet I knew that the things I spoke of and the examples I used were true, in fact they were verifiably true. And the hardest thing was to choose my response: 1) to stick to the truth and bear with those around me who were trying to improve the opinion of the situation or 2) back up and affirm the new angle being endorsed, for the sake of peace and comfort for the guest and host.

I tried to walk the line...and succeeded in feeling offended, misunderstood and misrepresented...not a successful end to an otherwise enjoyable evening. In the course of the follow-up conversation it was implied that:
1) I was generalizing something that is specific and local.
2) I did not understand the context I was speaking of.
3) I was causing a stir to garner sympathies.
4) I was behaving in a patronizing manner, espousing outdated sympathies alongside some stripe of fundamentalist.
5) I knew no more than an immature, inexperienced do-gooder.

Needless to say I walked away feeling like I had spoken to the ostrich and his partner. And I had the distinct thought that I was just scolded for telling inappropriate stories. Now, I must add that I was often in situations while living in the UK where I knew that my observation, opinion or experience was incongruent with generally accepted norms. In that case, I realized that I was being culturally out-of-step and changed the conversation direction and the other parties involved cheerfully joined in the new direction...

All this leads me to the question:

Am I culturally out of step here?

That is a very sad thought.