Subjective “Truth”
Who among us does not appreciate a public supportive testimony for whatever work we are doing? Such a testimony not only “validates” our effort, it gives us support and increases our self-confidence. It also has the immediate effect of having us relate to our audience, no matter its size. We begin as well to see the testimony’s potential for increasing the audience, and we explore ways to realize that potential and maximize it.1
The Value of Testimonials
An author and indeed all authors tremulously await reviews and the reaction of readers. A positive review can stimulate increasing numbers of readers; readers spread the word; book sales grow, and the author reaps his reward in dollars. If an Oprah Winfrey likes the book and interviews the author, the sales of the book increase phenomenally in a few days, and the author becomes rich. Testimonials whether in oral, written or visual form or a combination of all three are what guarantee the success of the book sales.2
Filmmakers spend anxious days, weeks, and months anticipating the release of their film; they promote the film with previews in carefully targeted markets, and when the film reaches the theatres, they nervously await the reviews of film experts and lie awake at night examining attendance records until they are assured that the film is making more than sufficient money to reward everyone involved in its making. Large box office receipts are a subjective and persuasive testimonial about the success of the film.3
Politicians rely almost totally on endorsements by other noted public figures, on the quality both positive and negative of their press coverage, and of course on the size and enthusiasm of those who attend their political rallies. All the foregoing serve as testimonials for a politician and determine whether or not he or she gets elected.4
Society and Testimonials
In industry, the lowly employee working outside on construction or inside at his computer in a tiny cubicle relies on reviews (testimonials) by his or her boss for promotions and salary increase. Those employees holding more prestigious positions such as managers, vice presidents, and president also depend on testimonials from their bosses and Boards of Trustees for monetary and/or recognition rewards.5
In higher education, colleges and universities evaluate faculty and administrators for promotions and salary increase through a series of protocols: productivity, behavior, and the favor or lack of favor of students and lower echelon employees. Such evaluations are essentially testimonials.6
Judgments of personnel and their work in every area of society come from testimonials which are primarily subjective. They are based ultimately upon the opinion of those making the judgment and opinions can vary and lack objectivity.
The Placebo Effect
It often happens that healing or recovery is the result of the Placebo Effect. Medical doctors confirm that such healing occurs. It is however the unconscious subjective response of the patient to a protocol or medication. One believes that the medication is doing the healing even if the medication is a sugar pill.7
The Objectivity of Science
In contrast, scientists claim that the work they do in laboratory settings is “objective.”
If they wish to determine the composition of a certain plot of soil for example, they examine the soil under strict laboratory conditions. The findings are objective. Personal opinion is not permitted. Should they wish to determine if a human organ, let’s say the liver, is healthy, that particular liver is subjected to a variety of tests approved by scientists and conducted by scientists. And the results are determined to be objective.8
Objective Effectiveness of Products
The effectiveness of drugs is determined in laboratory settings; the nature of a certain disease is so determined. New advances in chemistry, medical treatments, in construction projects, in helicopters, planes, warships, etc. are tested first by the scientists who are specialized in those areas before products can be approved for use. Certain foods garnered from plants and animals are determined safe only after undergoing scientific testing.9
Monetary Value of Objectivity
Because work is done in laboratory settings generally requires expensive equipment and specially trained personnel (scientists), it is considered “objective,” and carries with it a higher intrinsic and market value. Scientists enjoy prestige and monetary compensation not available to those whose work is the result of favorable testimonials alone. Even though science is considered objective, human error and new discoveries can in retrospect deem earlier claims of objectivity in a particular area to be tainted by subjectivity.10
In spite of that, scientific objectivity is rendered far superior to the judgments of subjectivity noted above. Truth is determined to be more effectively established by science than by the subjectivity of testimonials.11`
Application Value of Objectivity
The application of the qualitative difference between the objectivity of science and the subjectivity of opinion can determine the usefulness and truth of certain claims.12
A primary example is that of alternative modalities claiming to help people heal. Healing modalities establish their value for the most part on testimonials. When searching the web for information on any healing modality, one sees a prolific use of testimonials for Yoga, Reiki, The Emotion Code, The Healing Codes, Theta Healing, Healing Touch, Trauma Healing etc.13
Qigong, a five-thousand-year-old healing system developed by the Chinese, is regarded as a science not by Western science but by Eastern science which sees human health as the interaction and relationship between body, mind and spirit.14 Even though the interconnectedness of all things has been proven in the West by none other than Einstein and intellectually accepted by most Western scientists, actual work done in Western science laboratories does not reflect that truth.15
The creator of one form of qigong, Master Chunyi Lin, does scientific work with the Mayo Clinic. A number of doctors from the Mayo Clinic, impressed by the outcomes of Spring Forest Qigong are taking courses in Qigong with Master Lin.16 But because of the cost of Western laboratory science, alternative modalities cannot afford to pay that cost unless they are sponsored by a corporation or some such.17
Objectivity and the Trivedi Effect
The Trivedi Effect developed by Mahendra Kumar Trivedi does use laboratory science to prove its healing power. Mr. Trivedi is gifted with the ability to heal soil, plants, animals, and humans at the cellular level. While he has received thousands of testimonials about the success of his work, he has chosen to have every aspect of his work tested in laboratory science. He is a native of India and laboratory work done by scientists trained in Western scientific methodology is less expensive when done in India than in the USA. Mr. Trivedi is able to produce his results by simple thought intention. There are no rules or protocols to effect his results. The healing can be done remotely as well as in person.18
Mr. Trivedi’s work has been tested in over 4,000 experiments conducted by scientists using the most rigorous scientific protocols.19 He has gifted close to a hundred persons in the USA with the ability to do this powerful thought work. And these individuals or “healers” have also been tested by laboratory science and their work validated.20 They too can transmit this Life Force energy remotely or in person.
A Frequently Asked Question
When asked about the difference between their healing work and that of healers in the modalities mentioned above, Trivedi healers can say their abilities have been tested rigorously by laboratory science and validated. The work of other healers has not.21 The fact that their work has the objective validation of science gives Trivedi Healers greater “Truth” value and as a result the potential for greater appeal.
Objectivity Trumps Subjectivity
While it is more difficult to establish and usually demands huge expense, it appears that objectivity trumps subjectivity.22
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References
1.bonfirehealth.com/positive-influence-inspiring-success. The character of what flows into us directly affects our internal state and affects what flows out of us, inevitably impacting what gets into others around us. People, places, and experiences that provide positive influence are those that help us move nearer to our desired results and help us to be better today than we were yesterday.
2.www.adalante.com.au/images/testimonials.pdf The value of testimonials(and how to get really good ones). By Joe Rubio (Adalante Consulting) Introduction, We all know the value of word of mouth for growing and expanding a business. Nothing is stronger than a personal recommendation. Testimonials are perhaps the next best thing….
3.www.quora.com/Movies-What-determines-the-success…The popularity of the film’s content. The current popularity of the film’s genre. The current popularity of the film’s stars. The strength of the film’s marketing campaign. The strength of the film’s distribution as well as its release schedule. The competition during the film’s release period.
4.www.learner.org/courses/democracy in America/dia… America has, as Tocqueville noted, long been a nation of joiners. We have a long history of joining together for common purposes, and thus it is no surprise that organized groups prevail throughout the political system.
5.www.outputtime.com/7-ways-to-evaluatemeasure-your… 7 Ways To Evaluate/measure Your Employees’ Performance.
6. crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/guidelines Guidelines for evaluating teaching Introduction. Just as there is no simple system for evaluating the quality of faculty research, there is no simple system for evaluating the quality of faculty teaching.
7.www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17550344A comprehensive review of the placebo effect: recent advances and current thought.
8.self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Objectivity_(science) Objectivity in science is a value that informs how science is practiced and how scientific truths are discovered. It is the idea that scientists, in attempting to uncover truths about the natural world, must aspire to eliminate personal biases, a priori commitments, emotional involvement, etc.
9.www.fda.gov/Drugs/ScienceResearch/default.htm Science & Research (Drugs). Learn about the process that drives CDER science and research. … CDER scientists share their research in scientific journals, guidance for drug-developers ….
10.www.payscale.comUnited StatesJob Average Research Scientist Salary … involve development and design work, a research scientist typically can be found in academic settings or similar areas. … includes employees with
11.Commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1377&… Q Methodological Study of Subjectivity and Objectivity7 While subjectivity is commonly accepted as a problem, objectivity is accepted as an ideal, and science is easily accepted to be objective without question.
12.Ibid
13.freetraumahealing.com/testimonials.html testimonials A Q Events Practitioners Sponsors Videos Media Contact Sign Up Page … “Great opportunity to try new healing modalities.” – Bridget Webb
14.www.qigonginstitute.org/category/5/what-is-qigong.Spontaneous QigongWhole-body movement and vibration. Although they define reality using different terms, quantum physics and the two main philosophies (Buddhism and Taoism) that influenced modern Qigong are in agreement on the fundamental nature of reality: It is characterized by impermanence or change, the interconnectedness of all things, and the fundamental equivalence of mass and energy.
15.www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1704/Einstein-Were-All…. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”– Albert Einstein
16.www.springforestqigong.com/medical-studies. Medical Research and Spring Forest Qigong. Two research studies, one by researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic, have been conducted regarding Spring Forest Qigong. The external qigong treatments were provided by Chunyi Lin.
17.www.americanlaboratory.com/914-Application-Notes/18808… Other than personnel-related costs, maintenance is generally the most expensive item in the laboratory operating budget. While the size of this expenditure makes it an attractive target for reduction, all laboratory managers recognize the limitations they face in achieving any real savings.
18.https://www.trivedieffect.com
19.https://www.trivedieffect.com/science
20.https://eileenmeagher.com/faqs
21.Ibid
22.methods.sagepub.com/video/objectivity–subjectivity-letherby Professors John Scott, Malcolm Williams, and Gayle Letherby discuss their book, Objectivity and Subjectivity in Social Research. They collectively reject the idea that complete objectivity is possible because everyone has lived experiences that affect what and how they choose to research.
Thanks for a lively and interesting blog, Eileen!
Thanks, Kathryn:-)