Skepticism in the truth

The art of storytelling is one of a select few. As I read O'Brien's stories I wanted desperately to believe them, I believe mainly because I didn't want his characters to be so insane. On page 74 O'Brien recalls a story that Sanders told him. He talks about six soldiers who go into the mountains and listen. Listening for the enemy. As I sat looking up at the imaginary Sanders sitting in front of me, I listened to his word and felt the emotions of disappointment as O'Brien (or myself) wasn't believing his story. Sanders says, "...you won't believe. you won't. And you know why? Because it happened. Because every word is absolutely dead-on true." The characters in Sanders story listen and start hearing things that don't make sense. Cocktail parties and opera music, which is ludicrous because they are in Nam. At one point he explains that they couldn't cope with the sounds in the normal ways; humor or making logical exceptions.

As I 'listened' to these stories and envisioned the setting at which it was told, I wanted desperately to believe the stories were true. And in a since my mind still is struggling with this idea. At the beginning of the chapter O'Brien gives a disclaim that tears my mind into two separate sides of belief and skepticism. On page 71 he says: "In many cases a true war story cannot be believed. If you believe it, be skeptical. It's a question of credibility. Often the crazy stuff is true and the normal stuff isn't, because the normal stuff is necessary to make you believe the truly incredible craziness."

Why is it that the stories that have logic and ones we can relate to are the only ones that we believe? O'Brien's retelling about getting the draft notice and how he had a battle inside of him on what was the right thing to do, I can relate to. So that's easier to believe those events are true and they happened. Sanders' story, on the other hand, has things that are very believable, and I totally understand under pressure of war and in a high stress situation one can hear strange sounds and hallucinate. But in my mind, all six men hearing the same things, is not believable for me. One might argue, 'if all have the same experience, then it must have happened.' But the battle in my mind and heart is just as strong as O'Brien's struggle to run or go to war. NO I don't have as much at stake.But I have an internal struggle that is eating at me, when I have nothing to think about or do. For me that's a big thing. I strive to make my own opinions about things I read and study. I am a naturally skeptical person, which I don't think is bad, but it keeps me on my toes and allows me to keep an open mind, until I've come to peace within my self.

For myself, I want and in a since need to figure out if the O'Brien's stories are true; or come to an 'agree to disagree' decision. (I would like some of the classes thoughts on what they think about the credibility or truth of these stories.)