Chapter 89: Where Does the Truth Lie?

Facing the camera, Jiang Zhe asked a series of rhetorical questions with a serious expression:

"What is reality?"

"This is also a cliché question."

"The azure sky we see; the laughter and crying of people we hear."

"The scents and stenches we smell, the cold and heat we touch, the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy tastes we experience?"

"Is this what everyone considers to be reality?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the audience was almost instantly drawn into an inexplicable state.

All the viewers and experts watching this scene wanted to answer: [Yes].

But no one spoke up to answer.

After all, these are all ways people perceive this world with their physical bodies.

Everything felt by the five senses is the physical body telling everyone in this world—this world is just as we see it, just as we hear it, and just as we taste it.

But is such a scene really... real?

Jiang Zhe scanned the scene.

He noticed that the staff on site were also hesitant and indecisive.

They wanted to answer, but didn't know how to start.

"Yes, in the true sense; what 99% of us call [reality] has always been the information about this world that we obtain using our five senses; we believe it is real."

"It's like someone telling you they saw a ghost and describing its shape to you."

"Would you then believe it to be real?"

Upon hearing this, the audience and experts shook their heads repeatedly; they clearly did not believe that ghosts were a real existence.

"I have mentioned before in the live broadcast room that the worlds of bats, whales, cats, and dogs are different from ours."

"So, whose standard should we use to judge this [reality]?"

"The majority!"

He shook his head, then smiled.

"In our world, [the majority] is revered over [the minority]."

"As long as [the majority] tells you what is real, then in your perception, what they tell you is reality."

"But if [a minority] tells you what is real, you won't believe the [reality] from the mouths of the minority."

"Now, follow me in doing a simple survey."

"Director, please open a [poll]."

"[In whose hands does the truth of the world lie?]"

"This is only for the online live broadcast room; viewers in front of the TV don't need to waste their text messages."

As he finished speaking, the director tacitly prepared the details page and launched it into the live broadcast room.

Inside the leadership meeting room.

Old Zhao and Old Wang couldn't help but twitch their mouths; what a great way to make money, and you're just turning it down?

However, neither of them spoke their true thoughts, so as not to ruin the atmosphere.

In the live broadcast room.

A pop-up window appeared on every viewer's screen.

[In whose hands does the world's truth lie?]

[A: The majority]

[B: The minority]

Without any surprise, the audience chose [B] without hesitation.

"What did you choose?"

"I chose B; after all, the world really is in the hands of the minority."

"+1, looks like we are the minority!"

"..."

The simple public opinion poll quickly reached a conclusion.

When the backstage director saw the final answer, he was dumbfounded.

However, he still honestly reported it to Jiang Zhe, "The answer is a bit strange, it's like this..."

Upon hearing this, just as Jiang Zhe expected, he smiled slightly at the camera and began to announce it.

"The total number of votes is around 1 million; let's take 1 million as the base."

"Those who chose [A], meaning those who believe the world is in the hands of the majority, account for 14%, which is approximately 140,000 people!"

"Those who chose [B], meaning those who believe the world is in the hands of the minority, account for 86%, which is approximately 860,000 people."

"So, here comes the question."

"If the world were in the hands of the majority, why do only 14% of people choose [A] (the majority), making them the minority instead?"

"If the world were in the hands of the minority, why did the vote for [B] (the minority) account for 86% (860,000 people), making them the majority instead?"

"Could it be that the truth lies in the hands of the majority?"

At first glance, all the viewers noticed the logical flaw in Jiang Zhe's words.

"What the hell?"

"What's wrong?"

"A bit weird, let's look again!"

"..."

As the viewers looked deeper, they were all dumbfounded.

A is the majority, B is the minority.

If the world's truth were in the hands of A (the [majority]), then the votes should be higher, why are there fewer votes?

If the world's truth were in the hands of B (the [minority]), then the votes should be lower, why are there more votes?

For a moment, the viewers were stunned; it felt like something in their minds had been shattered, yet they also seemed to have realized something.

Looking deeper...

All the experts were stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but smile.

"Hahahaha, this is a simple brain teaser!"

"Jiang Zhe is interesting; he used [the majority] and [the minority] to judge who actually holds the truth."

"So, so, in whose hands does the world actually lie?"

"The truth of the world naturally lies in the hands of [the minority]; so what is in the hands of the majority is wrong!"

"Hiss~~ This... this poll is so novel!"

"..."

Soon, the live broadcast room was flooded with bullet comments.

"Damn, Host Jiang, you have so many tricks for this poll!"

"Ahahaha, I get it now. The truth really is in the hands of the minority; because those who chose A are the minority, and those who chose B are the majority!"

"Damn, it's so simple and easy to understand, yet I, a college student, fell for it!"

"..."

Inside the leadership meeting room.

All the leaders here also felt the novelty of the poll.

Jiang Zhe used a simple wordplay to tell everyone.

Jiang Zhe told the majority—you are the majority.

Jiang Zhe told the minority—you are the minority.

Although the wordplay was a bit convoluted, it also made people understand a truth—the truth of the world really is in the hands of the minority!

On the big screen.

He smiled, remained silent for a moment, and continued to explain:

"Yes."

"Through the wordplay, we know—"

"The truth of the world is indeed in the hands of the minority."

"But 86% of you don't think you are the majority; instead, you have become [the majority]."

"This is a normal situation, which indirectly shows—most of you think you are special."

Speaking of this, he smiled faintly, then shook his head.

"In fact, you are not; in fact, you have never accepted the fact that you are [ordinary people]; you always feel that one day you will soar to success."

"Although it is very real, please give up this unrealistic idea!"

Although these words were a bit piercing, the audience had to admit that Jiang Zhe was indeed right.

"The truth... is indeed a bit unacceptable!"

"Wuwuwu~~ I am actually just an ordinary person, ahhhh, why did my mom say I am not ordinary?"

"Yeah, the fortune teller also said I wouldn't be ordinary."

"It's so damaging to one's self-confidence!"

"..."

For a moment, the viewers felt unable to move on.

On the big screen, Jiang Zhe was expressionless and did not continue to explain more about this issue.

He only speaks the truth and never plays with falsehoods.

Any so-called comforting words are useless and are all false.

"Alright, back to the main topic!"

"So what exactly is reality?"

"Subjective reality: Every psychiatric patient in a mental hospital thinks they are not sick; this is what they believe—if we replace this with the majority, then the world is whatever the majority sees it as."

"After all, the wordplay just now has already told you that what the majority insists on is not necessarily correct; and what the minority insists on is not necessarily wrong."

"Let us first assume that the minority is correct."

"Then the following [objective reality] will become like this!"

"Objective reality: Everyone in a mental hospital is seen as sick in the eyes of a psychiatrist—"

"Converted to the minority, in the eyes of the minority: This world is not what you see with your eyes and physical bodies."

As he finished speaking, Jiang Zhe looked at the camera and continued to explain:

"In the eyes of a biologist, all of you are carbon-based life forms, the existence of chemical compounds."

"In the eyes of a physicist, all of you are a series of atoms; when you zoom in on your physical bodies, you will eventually find that you, me, and everyone else are hollow."

"In the eyes of a medical expert, you are just a piece of meat with temperature..."

"In the eyes of a theologian, all of you are God's favorite children!"

"And in the eyes of Quantum Mechanics professors, graduate students, and myself, all of you..."

As he finished speaking, Jiang Zhe suddenly changed the subject, his expression somewhat playful, and then he couldn't help but curl his lips, "Are all NPCs existing solely for them and me!!!"