Amerika

At some point, when a society becomes so internally divided that compatibility is impossible, truth itself gets assaulted. Groups literally believe in a different reality because the individuals in those groups make their identities from their beliefs.

Check this duality:

In the end, though, not a single significant plot was foiled as a result of Abu Zubaida’s tortured confessions, according to former senior government officials who closely followed the interrogations. Nearly all of the leads attained through the harsh measures quickly evaporated, while most of the useful information from Abu Zubaida — chiefly names of al-Qaeda members and associates — was obtained before waterboarding was introduced, they said.

Moreover, within weeks of his capture, U.S. officials had gained evidence that made clear they had misjudged Abu Zubaida. President George W. Bush had publicly described him as “al-Qaeda’s chief of operations,” and other top officials called him a “trusted associate” of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and a major figure in the planning of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. None of that was accurate, the new evidence showed.

WAPO

And then:

The Central Intelligence Agency told CNSNews.com today that it stands by the assertion made in a May 30, 2005 Justice Department memo that the use of “enhanced techniques” of interrogation on al Qaeda leader Khalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM) — including the use of waterboarding — caused KSM to reveal information that allowed the U.S. government to thwart a planned attack on Los Angeles.

CNSN

So which is true?

The right wing, who are inherently collectivists, realize that the individual never trumps the group; as part of this, they deign to subsidize those who do not contribute to the group.

The left wing, who are inherently individualists, say that no individual should ever be subjected to torture, even if the collective is threatened, because the principle of being immune to society is most important.

So we all believe what we want to believe is true, and at the end of the day, what we have done is fragmented ourselves and cast doubt on the idea that we’ll ever know truth.

Everyone loses.