Post Truth | Author Lee McIntyre

“My book of the week is Post-Truth by Lee McIntyre. This is a slender volume from MIT's Essential Knowledge Series that looks at one of the most disturbing ... Trade,non-fiction IndieboundAmazonBarnes&NobleBooks-a-MillionMITPress Post-Truth Arewelivinginapost-truthworld,where“alternativefacts”replaceactualfactsandfeelingshavemoreweightthanevidence?In Post-Truth(MITPress2018),Itracethedevelopmentofthisphenomenonfromitsrootsinsciencedenial,cognitivebias,andpostmodernismthroughtheriseof“fakenews,”“informationsilos,”andalternativemedia.Whatexactlyispost-truth?Isitwishfulthinking,politicalspin,massdelusion,orbold-facedlying?Byanalyzingrecentexamples—inflatedclaimsaboutinaugurationcrowdsize,boguscrimestatistics,andunfoundedallegationsaboutthe2016popularvote—I’veconcludedthatpost-truthisnotmerelyanattempttofoolusintobelievingfalsehoods,itisanassertionofideologicalsupremacy.Yetpost-truthdidn’tbeginwiththe2016election;thedenialofscientificfactsaboutsmoking,evolution,vaccines,andclimatechangeoffersaroadmapformorewidespreadfactdenial.Addtothisthewired-incognitivebiasesthatmakeusfeelthatourconclusionsarebasedongoodreasoningevenwhentheyarenot,thedeclineoftraditionalmediaandtheriseofsocialmedia,andtheemergenceoffakenewsasapoliticaltool,andwehavetheidealconditionsforpost-truth.InPost-TruthIalsoarguethatwecanfightback,butthatthefirststepincombattingpost-truthistounderstandwhereitcamefrom. Readpraise SignupforLee'sNewsletter:Subscribe PraiseforPost-Truth CNNBookoftheWeekBestBooksof2018onthePBSNewsHourForbesMagazineCollegeReadingListforthePost-TruthEraChoiceOutstandingAcademicTitle,2018 “McIntyre’sbookisperhapsthemostthoughtfulofthepost-truthset….[He]arguespersuasivelythatourmethodsofascertainingtruth—notjustthefactsthemselves—areunderattack,andthatthisassaultisespeciallydangerous.” —CarlosLozada,TheWashingtonPost “Thisisagemofashorttreatise.LeeMcIntyre’sPost-Truthisaperfectcountertoaproblemthathaseruptedinournationalconsciousness—alternativefacts.McIntyre’senumeratedsuggestionsonhowwemustallbeourownfactcheckersinthispost-truthageshouldbetapedtothecomputerkeyboardofeveryjournalist,politician,andreaderinAmerica,beforethenextelection.” —MichaelShermer,SkepticMagazine “MybookoftheweekisPost-TruthbyLeeMcIntyre.ThisisaslendervolumefromMIT’sEssentialKnowledgeSeriesthatlooksatoneofthemostdisturbingtrendsofourtime:theincreasingdismissalofscience,evidence,facts,andtruthitself.Theauthorgivesusanintelligentaccountofwhyit’shappenedandacompellingreminderthatweshouldallfightbackagainstthisdangerousnihilisticidea.” —FareedZakaria,CNN Weusecookiestoensurethatwegiveyouthebestexperienceonourwebsite.Ifyoucontinuetousethissitewewillassumethatyouarehappywithit.OK