The Rules
- Read the Inaugural Post. Since the subsequent rules are in the Inaugural post, you may skip the rest of this page.
- In the movie Fight Club, the wild guy played by Brad Pitt established a first and primary (and primal) rule: “The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club.” Obviously such a rule would be silly if applied to a truth club. And so I’ll adapt that rule: the first rule of truth club is you do not fight about truth club. Anybody who’s interested in harranging, ad hominem wringing of rhetorical (or otherwise) necks is interested in something besides saying the truest thing that could be said. The most painful insults carry a grain of truth, and in this club, a grain just won’t cut muster. Naturally there must be some discussion and some give and take. But there is a fence, on the other side of which is scraggly crabgrass with patchy, brown spots which spell out the word “abusive.” Stay on this side of that fence.
- The second (and last, I believe) rule of Fight Club was “Everybody fights.” That is so true. And while we’re not going to fight, this sentiment of exhaustive participation is a good one. So in truth club, everybody tells the truth.
- Broad, grand, sweeping rules aside, there is a more practical rule: speak carefully. This is not a forum for a tell-all society. It has been my experience that the most titillating, scandalous true things one could say are almost never the truest things one could say. It will require a great deal of introspection to know just what to say. At the same time, be forbearing of others. Be aware that we are all amateurs at telling the truth (except for that one guy who always said the truest thing). Be prepared for other people to tell the truth badly (that sounds so euphemistic!). Cut ‘em some slack. Chances are you’ll need that lattitude yourself at some point down the line.
Grasp: none
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