Consensus is the best approach for many decisions.
How will we govern ourselves?
What are our rules of engagement?
How do we want to spend our resources?
What is the wording we should use in our statement of faith?
Consensus is malleable, adaptable, and follows directly from the group’s constituents — we agree to this at this point in time (even if we don’t all like it). The makeup of the group matters. The moment in time matters.
But consensus does not equate to truth.
Truth is immutable. Hard to come by, hard to understand, hard to hear (sometimes). Truth is not subject to any constituents. One hundred percent of a group may agree to a “truth,” and they all might be wrong.
The truth can easily make us uncomfortable. Therefore, we lay our heads on the soft pillow of consensus. Unfortunately, that pillow isn’t always so soft.
If you arrest an immigrant drug dealer, our consensus is you’re a racist.
If you’ve had an abortion, our consensus is you’re going to hell.
If you do not market the narrative, our consensus is you’re knowingly promoting disinformation.
These statements may be true, but what makes them true is not consensus.
Groups are constantly conflating truth and consensus through black-and-white assertions. Doing so gives them power and helps their members feel smart, right, and comfortable.
But you’re smarter than that.
