Going post-factual
Published July 8, 2016
by Gary Pearce, Talking About Politics, July 6, 2016.
Surveying the Presidential race and the Brexit vote, a smart young political pro observed this week, “We’re living in a post-factual world.”
Facts and truth don’t matter. You can say what you want, and you can pick whatever facts, Internet rumors or just plain lies fit your opinion.
Way back in the dark ages, when Carter and I were bashing each other in campaigns, we worried about getting caught telling a lie. We even worried about saying something that was true but strained credulity.
Today, no problem. Donald Trump can say on national TV that Ted Cruz’s father was involved in JFK’s assassination. And get away with it. (I’m sure Republicans have their own stories about Democratic lies and liars.)
Post-factual politics is one of our leading exports. Britain’s Trump, Boris Johnson, made wild claims about the supposed benefits of Brexit, then took it all back the day after his side won. “Never mind. I never really meant what I said.”
Social media makes all this worse. You and your friends can share horror stories – some of them even true – about your enemies. And you and the people you disagree with politically can share insults about which one of you is a bigger idiot.
The media, bless their hearts, struggle to sort out the truth. Today the N&O had a full page fact-check about what Trump and Clinton said at their dueling rallies Tuesday.
Memo to the editors from your readers: Thanks for trying, but we really don’t care. We’ve already picked our facts.
In the end, this just fuels the cynicism that is rotting away our system of government. People conclude, “It’s all lies, and they’re all liars. The hell with it.”
And that’s a fact.
July 8, 2016 at 8:21 am
Bruce Stanley says:
Don't forget about Harry Reid stating Mitt Romney cheated on his tax returns in the middle of the presidential campaign, with no evidence whatsoever.
July 8, 2016 at 10:33 am
Norm Kelly says:
And when discussing or even mentioning Hildabeast, people are accurate.
So, every time some disillusioned lib makes ANY comment about what Republicans say, write, tweet, etc. all we have to do is remind them that their candidate is a known liar, what the FBI director called incompetent, and unworthy of a security clearance because she's too simple minded to know what CONFIDENTIAL means.
So, whine on libs. You have the Beast! Wish this were actually funny, but it is so serious that you all have fallen so low, it's scary for me, my family, and the future of our nation. Hildabeast could even drag the world further into war than what the current unqualified mostly-black socialist community organizer occupier has done. The current occupier has done an excellent job 'uniting' the world, can't imagine the Beast won't continue his discord!
Stop pointing the finger at others when the blame belongs on YOU!
