Post-truth politics and why the antidote isn't simply 'fact-checking'

Post-truth has recombinant qualities. For a start, it is a type of communication that includes old-fashioned lying, where speakers say things ... Menu Close Home Arts+Culture Business+Economy Education Environment+Energy Health+Medicine Politics+Society Science+Technology COP26 Edition Africa Australia Canada Canada(français) España France GlobalPerspectives Indonesia NewZealand UnitedKingdom UnitedStates Edition: Availableeditions Australia Donate Getnewsletter Becomeanauthor Signupasareader Signin Arts+Culture Business+Economy Education Environment+Energy Health+Medicine Politics+Society Science+Technology COP26 JohnKeane,UniversityofSydney Author JohnKeane ProfessorofPolitics,UniversityofSydney Disclosurestatement JohnKeanereceivedfundingfromtheAustralianResearchCouncil. Partners UniversityofSydneyprovidesfundingasamemberofTheConversationAU. Viewallpartners DonaldTrumppostsalinktohisveryown‘RealNewsUpdate’onFacebook. DonaldJ.Trump/Facebook Email Twitter Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Messenger ThisarticleispartoftheRevolutionsandCounterRevolutionsseries,curatedbyDemocracyFuturesasajointglobalinitiativebetweentheSydneyDemocracyNetworkandTheConversation.Theprojectaimstostimulatefreshthinkingaboutthemanychallengesfacingdemocraciesinthe21stcentury. ItisalsopartofanongoingseriesfromthePost-TruthInitiative,aStrategicResearchExcellenceInitiativeattheUniversityofSydney. ThisessayismuchlongerthanmostConversationarticles,sowilltakesometimetoread.Enjoy! Weliveinanunfinishedrevolutionaryageofcommunicativeabundance.Networkeddigitalmachinesandinformationflowsareslowlybutsurelyshapingpracticallyeveryinstitutioninwhichweliveourdailylives. Forthefirsttimeinhistory,thankstobuilt-incheapmicroprocessors,thesealgorithmicdevicesandinformationsystemsintegratetexts,soundsandimagesincompact,easilystorable,reproducibleandportabledigitalform. Communicativeabundanceenablesmessagestobesentandreceivedthroughmultipleuserpoints,inchosentime,realordelayed,withinglobalnetworksthatareaffordableandaccessibletobillionsofpeople. MybookDemocracyandMediaDecadenceprobedthecontoursofthisrevolution.Itshowedwhynewinformationplatforms,robustmuckrakingandcross-borderpublicsareamongtheexcitingsocialandpoliticaltrendsofourtime.Itproposedthattheunfinishedrevolutionisdoggedbypoliticallythreateningcontradictionsanddecadentcounter-trends.Thedrifttowardaworldof“post-truth”politicsisamongthesetroublingtrends. Whatexactlyismeantbythetermpost-truth?Paradoxically,post-truthisamongthemost-talked-aboutyetleast-well-definedmemewordsofourtime.MostobserversintheEnglish-speakingworldcitethe2016WordoftheYearOxfordEnglishDictionariesentry:post-truthisthepublicburialof“objectivefacts”byanavalancheofmedia“appealstoemotionandpersonalbelief”. InChinaandintheSpanish-speakingworld,respectively,commonplacetalkofhòuzhēnxiāngandposverdadpushesinthisdirection.ThepopularityoftheGermanpostfaktisch(post-factual)usagecapturesmuchthesamemeaning.SelectedaswordoftheyearbytheGermanlanguagesocietyGesellschaftfürdeutscheSprache(GfdS),itreferstothegrowingtendencyof“politicalandsocialdiscussions”tobedominatedby“emotionsinsteadoffacts”. TheGfdSadds: Evergreatersectionsofthepopulationarereadytoignorefacts,andeventoacceptobviouslieswillingly.Nottheclaimtotruth,buttheexpressionofthe‘felttruth’leadstosuccessinthe‘post-factualage’. Post-truthcommunication Acatchwordthathasgoneviralsoquicklysurelydeservescarefulattentionandcrisperdefinition,especiallyifwearenottobethrownoffbalancebyaglobalphenomenonthatsetsouttodopreciselythat. Wecansaythat“post-truth”isnotsimplytheoppositeoftruth,howeverthatisdefined;itismorecomplicated.Itisbetterdescribedasanomnibusterm,awordforcommunicationcomprisingasalmagundiorassemblageofdifferentbutinterconnectedphenomena. Itstroublingpotencyinpubliclifeflowsfromitshybridqualities,itscombinationofdifferentelementsinwaysthatdefyexpectationsandconfuseitsrecipients. Post-truthhasrecombinantqualities.Forastart,itisatypeofcommunicationthatincludesold-fashionedlying,wherespeakerssaythingsaboutthemselvesandtheirworldthatareatoddswithimpressionsandconvictionsthattheyharbourintheirmind’seye. Liarsattemptalchemy:whensomeonetellsliestheywilfullysaythingsthey“know”nottobetrue,foreffect.AnexampleiswhenDonaldTrumpclaimstherewasneveradroughtinCalifornia,orthatduringhisinaugurationtheweathercleared,whenactuallylightrainfellthroughouthisaddress. ‘Thetruthisitstoppedimmediately,itwasamazing.’ Post-truthalsoincludesformsofpublicdiscoursecommonlycalledbullshit.Itcomprisescommunicationthatdisplacesandnullifiesconcernsaboutveracity.Bullshitishotairtalk,verbalexcrementthatlacksnutrient.Itisshootingoffatthemouth,backedbythepresumptionthatitisacceptabletoothersintheconversation. Post-truthdependsaswellonbuffoonery,bitsandpiecesofcolourfulcommunicationdesignedtoattractanddistractpublicattentionandtointerruptthebackgroundnoiseofconventionalpoliticsandpubliclife.Thebric-a-braccomponentofpost-truthincludesnonsensemoments,jokesandboasting.Itembracescleverquips,pedantryandwilfulexaggerations(likeMarineLePen’sdescriptionoftheEuropeanUnionas“ahugeprison”). Thereisplentyofroughspeech.ThecontrastwiththehoneywordsandsmilesofBillClinton,FelipeGonzález,TonyBlairandotherpoliticiansfromyesteryearisstriking.Thegrotesqueriecomesinabundance.GeertWildersspecialisesincausingtrouble,aswhenhedubsmosques“palacesofhatred”. Disturbingly,there’sabundanttalkoftheimportanceof“truth”,bywhichisusuallymeantutteranceswhoseveracityisself-confirming,thusprovingthattruthcanattractrogues.Thereisdog-whistling.Thereisplainbadtaste,aswhenanewlyelectedpresidententerstheHoustonAstrodome,crammedwithtraumatisedhomelesspeoplewhohavenarrowlysurvivedahurricane,andsays:“Thanksforcoming.” Hair-splittingandwilfullysettingthingsasidearecommon.TheIsraeliconsul-generalinNewYork,DaniDayan,doesthiswell,butthegeniusofevasionissurelyZoltánKovács,theOrbángovernment’sspokesman.WhensubjectedtoforensicquestioningbyreportersaboutHungary’simprisonmentandbrutalmaltreatmentofrefugeesandoperationsbyvigilantecitizens’“hunterpatrol”borderforces,helikestosay: Whatyouaretryingtoportrayhereisnon-existent,agrosssimplification.Nextquestion. Andthat’sthat. Engineeredsilence Thesilencingisnotincidental.Post-truthperformancesfeedontheirproductionofsilence.Theyremindus,inthewordsofSpanishphilosopherJoséOrtegayGasset,that: …thestupendousrealitythatislanguagecannotbeunderstoodunlesswebeginbyobservingthatspeechconsistsaboveallinsilences. Theproponentsofpost-truthcommunicationrelishthingsunsaid.Theirbluffandblusterisdesignednotonlytoattractpublicattention. Itsimultaneouslyhidesfrompublicattentionthings(suchasgrowinginequalitiesofwealth,themilitarisationofdemocracyandtheacceleratingdeathofnon-humanspecies)thatitdoesn’twantotherstonotice,orthatpotentiallyarousesuspicionsofthestyleandsubstanceofpost-truthpolitics. Thisengenderedsilenceisnotjusttheaftermathor“leftover”ofpost-truthcommunication.Everymomentofpost-truthcommunicationusingwordsbackedbysignsandtextisactivelyshapedbywhatisunsaid,orwhatisnotsayable. Thecommunicativeperformancesofthepost-truthchampionsarethusthemarginaliaofsilence:merefoamandwavesonitsdeepwaters. Thatiswhythecurrenthyper-concentrationofjournalistsandotherpubliccommentatorson“breakingnews”storiesabout“fakenews”,“alternativefacts”andmissing“evidence”issopotentiallymisleading. Theirfetishofbreakingnewsturnsthemunwittinglyintothepoodlesofpost-truthanditssilenceaboutthingslessimmediateandlessobvious,deeperinstitutionaltrends,“slower”eventsmarkedbypunctuatedrhythms. Vaudevilleandgaslighting Treatingpost-truthasaspeciesofpugnaciouspoliticsdressedinacoatofmanycolours,asabricolageoflies,bullshit,buffooneryandsilence,helpsusgraspitsvaudevillequality. Whenthoughtofasapublicperformanceledbyacastofpoliticians,journalists,publicrelationsagencies,thinktanksandotherplayers,post-truthisanupdated,state-of-the-artpoliticalequivalentofearly20th-centuryvaudevilleperformances. Old-fashionedvaudevillefeaturedstrongmenandsingers,dancersanddrummers,minstrelsandmagicians,acrobatsandathletes,comediansandcircusanimals.Itwasashow.Post-truthisequallyashow.Directedagainstconventionalstylesofperformance,itisanorchestratedpublicspectacledesignedtoinviteandentertainmillionsofpeople. Butpost-truthismuchmorethanentertainment,orthe“artofcontrivance”orthe“dictatorshipofillusion”mediatedbytheproductionandpassiveconsumptionofcommodities. Whilethegenealogyofpost-truthispartlytraceabletotheworldofcorporateadvertisingandmarket-drivenentertainment,ithasthoroughlypoliticalqualities.Inthehandsofthepowerful,orthosebentonclimbingtheladdersofpoweroverothers,thepost-truthphenomenonfunctionsasanewweaponofpoliticalmanipulation. Post-truthisnotonlyaboutwinningvotes,sidingwithfriends,ordealingwithpoliticalfoes.Ithasmoresinistereffects.Itisagaslightingexercise. ‘Strangedramaofacaptivesweetheart!’ WikipediaCommons DrawnfromGeorgeCukor’saward-winningGaslight,starringIngridBergmanandCharlesBoyer,thetermgaslightingisheredefinedasaweaponofthewilltopower.Itistheorganisedeffortbypublicfigurestomesswithcitizens’identities,todeploylies,bullshit,buffooneryandsilenceforthepurposeofsowingseedsofdoubtandconfusionamongsubjects. Gaslightingistypicallyapreferredtacticofnarcissisticandaggressivepersonalitiesbentondoingwhateverittakestogainandmaintainapositionofadvantageoverothers. Theirpointistodisorientanddestabilisepeople.Theywanttoharnesspeople’sself-doubts,ruintheircapacityforseeingtheworldironically,destroytheircapacityformakingjudgements,inordertodrivethemdurablyintosubmission. When(forinstance)gaslighterssaysomething,onlylatertosaythattheyneversaidsuchathingandthattheywouldneverhaveneverdreamedofsayingsuchathing,theiraimisgraduallytoturncitizensintomereplaythingsofpower. Whenthathappens,thevictimsofgaslightingnolongertrusttheirownjudgements.Theybuyintothetacticsofthemanipulator.Notknowingwhattobelieve,theygiveup,shrugtheirshouldersandfallbydefaultunderthespellofthegaslighter. ConsiderthedoubleactofPhilippinesPresidentRodrigoDuterteandhisformerright-handgaslighter,ErnestoAbella,inthesequenceofeventstriggeredbythemurder(inNovember2016)ofRolandoEspinosa,theelectedmayorofAlbuera,anislandcommunitysome575kilometresfromManila. Whenaskedbyjournaliststoexplainwhathadhappened,Dutertereportedlysaid: Hewaskilledinavery[questionableway],butIdon’tcare.Thepolicemensaidheresistedarrest.ThenIwillstickwiththestoryofthepolicebecause[theyare]underme. Espinosawasinfactshotindetention,insideapolicecell. Dutertecontinued: Imightgodowninhistoryasthebutcher.It’suptoyou. Andthen: SinceIhavenothingtoshow,Ijustuseextrajudicialkilling.[That’sbecause]Ihavenocredentialstoboastabout. Theintendedmeaningoftheseutterances(toputthingsmildly)wasoracular,somystifyinglyopaquethattheyservedasthecueforAbellatostruthisstuff:togoonairandtosaythatthisorthatneverhappened,thatDuterteneversaidwhatpeopleheardhimsay,thatBisaya-speakingDutertegotlostintranslationwhenspeakinginTagalog,toaffirmatMalacañangpressconferencesthathisintentionsaregoodandthatheisutterlysincere,whereashisenemiesarewilfuldissemblers,foolsandtoads. Abellainsistedheprovidednot“crumbs”,but“meat,deboned”.Armedwithhisfavouritephrases,“let’sjustsay”and“let’sputitthisway”,hedescribedhisjobas“completingthesentences”ofhisleader,to“imparthistrueintentions”. Inthismurdercase,Abellasaid,“itis…amatteroftheleadershipstyleandthemessagingstyleofthepresident”.Headded: Thisishismessagingstyletounderlinehisintention.Heisseriousaboutit[thedrugmenace].However,it’sjustmeanttounderlinehisseriousnessinmakingsurethatnobodyiscorruptandinvolvedincriminality. Whatmakespost-truthdifferentfromthepast? Themeanderingrhetoricisdesignedtobewitchandbeguile,whichiswhythecriticsofpost-trutharesoundingalarmsandissuingsternwarningsaboutthedangerouscharmsofthevaudevilleshowofpoliticalmendacity,nonsense,buffooneryandsilence. Theyemphasisethatpoliticallyingandbadmannersspicedwithtalkof“fakenews”and“alternativefacts”aresinister,afrontalchallengetothebasicdemocraticnormsofopenandpluralcommunicationamongcitizens. Complaintsagainstpost-truthareoftenrobust,loudandcouchedinhighmoraltones.Post-truthissaidtobethebeginningoftheendofpoliticsaswe’veknownitinexistingdemocracies. Thereistalkofanemergent“post-truthera”.Morethanafewcriticswarnthatthespreadofpost-truthistheharbingerofanew“totalitarianism”.Othersspeakofpopulistdictatorshipor“fascism-lite”government. Thedescriptorsarequestionable,anddisplaylittleunderstandingofthehistoricaloriginalityofthepresentdrifttowardsgovernmentbygaslighting.Politicsastheartofevasion,befuddlementandengineeredpublicsilenceisn’tnew.Lyinginpoliticsisanancientart.ThinkofPlato’snoblelie,orMachiavelli’srecommendationthatasuccessfulprincemustbe“agreatpretenderanddissembler”,orHarryTruman’sdescriptionofRichardNixonas: …anogood,lyingbastard.Hecanlieoutofbothsidesofhismouthatthesametime,andifheevercaughthimselftellingthetruth,he’dliejusttokeephishandin. Lyinginpoliticsisn’tnew,butdigitalmediadecadenceis. ThomasCizauskas/flickr Somethingsdon’tchange.Still,thereareseveralthingsthatareunusualaboutthegaslightingtrendsofourtime.Eachisboundupwiththeunfinishedcommunicationsrevolution. Thedigitalmergingandmeldingoftext,soundandimage,theadventofcheapcopyingandthegrowingeaseofnetworkedinformationspreadingacrossvastdistancesinrealtimearepowerfuldriversofpost-truthdecadence. Newtechniquesandtoolsofcommunicationareitsconditionofpossibility;theyenableitsproduction,rapidcirculationandabsorptionintothebodypoliticsofdemocracies,andwellbeyond. Thinkofphotoshoppedmaterialsandmashups,webapplicationsandpagesthatrecyclecontentfrommorethanonesourcetocreateasinglenewservicedisplayedinasinglegraphicalinterface.Trump’sfirstcampaignadvertisementshowedmigrantsallegedlycrossingtheMexicanborder;infact,itwasanimageofmigrantscrossingfromMoroccotoMelillainNorthAfrica. Thenconsiderimpostornewssites(usingURLssuchasabc.com.co)andfantasynewssites,suchasWTOE5News,whichcreatedthe“PopeFrancisShocksWorld,EndorsesTrumpforPresident”story,builtusingsuchtoolsasCloneZoneandNowThis. Pondershareablemade-upnewsplatforms(Macedonianteenagersmakingmoney,ChristianfundamentalistspeddlingtheSpirit),memelaunchpads(TwitterandFacebook)andparodyaccounts(TheOnion,“America’sFinestNewsSource”). Therearealsothedevotedfanzineplatformsthatspecialiseinhailingheroesandtrollingopponents,theplatformsthatsitforthefirsttimeintheWhiteHousepressbriefingroom,platformssuchasGatewayPundit,OneAmericanNewsNetwork,Newsmax,LifeZetteandtheDailyCaller. Somesaynoneofthisisnew.Fromtheoutset,theyinsist,dailynewspapersprintedgossip,rumoursandlies.OrsonWellesprovedthatradiocouldproducescams.Televisionwasastateweaponformass-producingfabricatedillusions;andsoon. Butthescepticsunderestimatethemultiplewaysinwhich,inmattersoftruthandpost-truth,thecommunicationsrevolutionismarkedbynoveldynamicsthatareproducingnoveleffects. Mostobviously,thedigitalcommunicationsrevolutiontendstounderminespace-timebarrierssothattherawmaterialoflies,bullshit,buffooneryandsilenceproducedbygaslightersdevelopslonggloballegs. Post-truthspreads;itknowsnoborders.So,forinstance,manyMuslimslivingincountriesasfarapartasBritain,PakistanandIndonesiaunderstandthattheyareamongthetargetsoftheprojectofattacking“fakenews”andmakingAmericagreatagain. There’ssomethingelsethat’snew:post-truthdiscoursepenetratessodeeplyintoourdailylivesthatwhatiscommonlycalledtheprivatesphereceasestobeprivate.It’snolongerasafehavenorazoneofcounter-balance,intheway(say)itfunctionedasthepointofresistanceagainsttotalpowerintheageofthetypewriterorinGeorgeOrwell’s1984,whereWinstonwasstillabletoretreattoacornertabletoscribble,outofsightofBigBrother. Thecolonisationofdailylifebytheso-calledInternetofThings,digitalrobotsthatcollectandspreadinformation,guaranteesthatthegeographicfootprintofpost-truthisvastandpotentiallytotal. There’syetanothernoveltyofourperiod:theproductionanddiffusionofpost-truthcommunicationbypopulistleaders,politicalpartiesandgovernments.Thehistoricalrecordshowsthatourtimesarenoexceptiontotheoldrulethatpopulismisarecurrentautoimmunediseaseofdemocracy. Thepresent-daypoliticalirruptionofpopulismisfuelledbytheinstitutionaldecayofelectoraldemocracy,combinedwithgrowingpublicdissatisfactionwithpoliticians,politicalpartiesand“politics”. Reinforcedbythefailureofdemocraticinstitutionstorespondeffectivelytoanti-democraticchallengessuchasthegrowinginfluenceofcross-bordercorporatepower,worseningsocialinequalityandthedarkmoneypoisoningofelections,thedecadenceisprovingtobealavishgifttoleaders,partiesandgovernmentspeddlingthemantraof“thesovereignpeople”. ViktorOrbán,primeministerofHungaryandoversizedvaudevillecharacter. EU2017EEEstonianPresidencyFollow/flickr PopulistfiguresotherwiseasdifferentasViktorOrbán,NorbertHoferandRecepTayyipErdoğanareoversizedvaudevillecharacters.Theyaremerchantsofpost-truth,exploitersoftrustandconfidenceartistswhotakeadvantageofthecommunicationsrevolution. Theystirupmultimediaexcitementbycallingforapublicrevoltbymillionsofpeoplewhofeelannoyed,powerlessandnolonger“held”(D.W.Winnicott)inthearmsofsociety:peoplewhoaresofrustratedorhumiliatedthattheyarewillingtolashoutinsupportofdemagoguespromisingthemdignityandabetterfuture. Somepeoplefallforthepromisesnotbecausethey“naturally”craveleaders,oryieldtotheinherited“fascisminusall”.Amongthestrangestandmostpuzzlingfeaturesofthepost-truthphenomenonisthewayitattractspeopleintovoluntaryservitudebecauseitraisestheirhopesandexpectationsofbetterment. Truthistheanswer?Don’tbelieveit Themostsurprisinglong-termeffectofcommunicativeabundanceandthespreadofpost-truthisarguablytheirreinforcementofthemodernquestioningandrejectionofarrogantbeliefsintruth. Thepossibilitythatpost-truthpoliticsispartytothe“farewelltotruth”ispoorlyunderstood,especiallybycriticsofpost-truth,whoinvariablyrallytothecauseofwhattheycasuallycalltruth. Althoughthetermisusuallyleftundefined,theirattachmenttotruthhelpsexplainwhymanyacademics,journalistsandpubliccommentatorstypicallyaccusethe“postmodernism”ofrecentdecadesofbeingtheunwittingaccompliceoractivefootservantofpost-truthpolitics. Theyareconvincedthatthe“relativism”ofthepostmodernistsunhelpfullyaddstotheconfusionsurrounding“truth”basedon“evidence”and“facts”.Whatisnowurgentlyneeded,theysay,istherecoveryoftruth. Butwhatistruth?Truthistheantidotetopost-truth,theyreply.Itisobservable.Truthissayingorwritingorvisualising,somehowdepictingthingsthatcorrespondto“reality”. ThechampionsoftruthunderstoodasadequationsometimescitethePolish-AmericanmathematicianAlfredTarski,whofamouslyputthingsthisway:thepropositionthat“snowiswhite”(“p”)istrueifandonlyifsnowiswhite(“pistrueifandonlyifp”).It’sseeinglanguageasaconveyorbelt,asamediumforrecordinga“reality”thatisexternaltotheobserver. Toughversionsoftheorthodoxyinsistthatevidenceisevidence,realityisrealand“brutefacts”existindependentlyofanyone’sattitudetowardthem. It’snotonlyphilosopherswhospeakinthisfashion.Journalists,lawyers,morethanafewacademics,plentyofenvironmentalactivistsanddatascientistsareinthetruthtrade. Believersintruth,awordthatisusuallyleftundefined,theyhaveahabitofsupposingthatrealityisallaroundthem,outthere,withinarm’sreachorjustbeyondarm’slength,graspableandcatchablethroughredescription,forinstanceintheformofdata. Suchconceptionsof“objectivity”failtorethinkthewholeideaoftruthasanecessaryconditionofriddingtheworldofpost-truthdecadence.Theirfailuretocastdoubtsimultaneouslyuponbothpost-truthandtruth,toseethemaspartnersratherthanasopponents,ignorestheneedforanewgeographyandhistoryoftruth. Truthcomesataprice.Butifyou’reluckyit’s60%off. TheNewYorkTimes Truthvariesthroughspaceandtime Thegeographyoftruthhighlightsthespatialdimensionsoftruth-seekingandattemptstolivethetruth.Whatcountsastruthvariesfromplacetoplace. TheFrenchRenaissancewriterMontaignefamouslysaidthatwhatistruthononesideofthePyreneesisfalsehoodontheotherside.Foucaultrepeatsthepointinhisaccountofthebirthoftruth-telling(ledirevrai)withinclinicsandprisons. Scholarlystudiesofthewaycities(EscueladeSalamanca,ChicagoSchoolofEconomics,CopenhagenSchool)haveshapedwhatcountsasknowledgepushinthesamedirection. Thegeographyoftruthequallymatterswithinanygivensociety,atanygiventime.ThePitjantjatjarapeoplesofcentralAustraliastilltodayuseafamilyoftermslikemulaandmula-mulaniandmulapatorefertoa“truestory”thatisinscribedwithbothconnotationsof“alongtime”andcallsforagreementbetweenstorytellersandlisteners. WhenPitjantjatjarapeoplesspeakoftruth,theyunderstandtheyareengagedineffortstoconvinceothersoftherightnessoftheirtradition.Theyrecognisewhatmainstreamwhitesocietyusuallyforgets:thattruthandtrustaretwins. Anewgeographyoftruthwouldalsonotethattherearespacesoflifethateitherhavelittleornothingtodowithtruth,orwherereferencestotrutharesimplyoutofplace(BertoltBrechtonceremarkedthatifsomeonestoodupinfrontofagroupofstrikersandsaid2+2=4theywouldnodoubtbejeered),orwheretellingthetruthhasdangerousconsequences,aswhenaRohingyafatherliestoaMyanmararmypatrolhuntingwomentorapebytellingthemonhisdoorstephehasnodaughters. Whatcountsastruthvariesnotonlythroughspacebutalsothroughtime.Truthhasacontroversialhistory;truthhasneverstraightforwardlybeentruth.Thereisahistoryoftruththatshowsthatwhatcountsastruthvariesthroughtime,butalso(thecorollary)thatwhatistodaytakenastruthhasnotalwaysbeenso. AncientGreekunderstandingsoftruthasaletheia,adifficultwordvariouslytranslatedas“disclosure”or“un-concealedness”,areevidentlydifferentthanChristianunderstandingsof“thewayandthetruthandthelife”(John14:6)andtheimperativetotellthetruth,shamethedevil. TheearlymodernEuropeanperiodwasmarkedbybitterstrugglesoverthemeaningofreligious“truth”,callsforreligioustolerationandthedeployment,bybelieversintruth,ofsuchtacticsofdeceptionasoccultism,theCatholicdoctrineofmentalreservationandProtestantcasuistry. ThepubliccontroversiesabouttruthamongChristiansencompassedLuther’sexplosive,influentialattackonpoperyasthesoleinterpreterofscriptureinAnOpenLettertotheChristianNobilityoftheGermanNationConcerningtheReformoftheChristianEstate(1520).TheyextendedtoLessing’srecommendationthatweshouldthankGodthatwedon’tknowthetruth(“Sagejeder,wasihmWahrheitdünkt,unddieWahrheitselbstseiGottempfohlen”[“Leteachpersonsaywhats/hedeemstruth,andlettruthitselfbecommendeduntoGod”]);andTocqueville’sobservationthatthemoderndemocraticrevolutionpowerfullycallsintoquestionso-calledpublictruthsaboutthe“natural”inferiorityofslavesandwomen. Democracydoubtsbothpost-truthand‘thetruth’ Thepublicsensethattruthclaimsarecontestableandmutableinterpretationsisundoubtedlybolsteredbythemulti-mediacommunicationsrevolution,andbytheadventofnewformsofmonitorydemocracyfeaturingaplethoraofmediatedplatformswherepowerispubliclyinterrogatedandchastened. Monitorydemocracypromotesthegrowthofpublicspaceswhereuncertainty,doubt,scepticism,ironyandmodestyinthefaceofarbitrarypowerarenurtured. Wittgenstein’srecommendationthatsaying“Iknow”shouldbebannedsothatpeoplewouldberequiredtosay“IbelieveIknow”makesgoodsenseundertheseconditions.Wecouldsaythatpost-truthpoliticsisthedarkandmessysideofanunfinishedquantumshiftinsupportofthepluralisationofpeople’slivedperceptionsoftheworld. Yes,talkoftruthisnotdisappearing,ordead.Justasunbelieverscontinuetosay“Lordhelpus”and“JesusChrist”,anddespiteCopernicuspeoplestillspeakofthesettingsun,sothelanguageoftruthlivesoninpeople’slives. Yetnowadaystropeslike“Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident”arousepublicsuspicions.Thetruthisoutthattruthhasmanyfaces. Whatcountsas“truthfulinformation”islessandlessunderstoodbywisecitizensas“hardfacts”orasindisputable“evidence”oraschunksof“reality”tobeminedfromtelevisionandradioprograms,orfromnewspapers,digitalplatformsand“expert”authorities. Intheageofcommunicativeabundanceandmonitorydemocracy,“reality”ismultipleandmutable.“Reality”,includingtheliesandbuffooneryandotherformsofgaslightingpeddledbythepowerful,comestobeunderstoodasalways“reportedreality”,as“reality”producedbysomeforothers–inotherwords,asmessagesthatareshapedandreshapedandreshapedagainintheprocessoftransmissionandreception. Thisdisenchantmentoftruthhaseverythingtodowithdemocracy.Consideredasauniversalnormliberatedfrommetaphysicalfoundations,asawholewayoflifecommittedtothedefenceofcomplexequality,freedomanddifference,democracyinmonitoryformistheguardianofapluralityoflivedinterpretationsoflife. Theradicaloriginalityofmonitorydemocracyisitsdefiantinsistencethatpeoples’livesareneversimplygiven,thatallthingshumanarebuiltontheshiftingsandsofspace-time,andthatnopersonorgroup,nomatterhowmuch“truth”orpowertheypresentlyenjoyorwanttoclaim,canbetrustedpermanently,inanygivencontext,togovernotherpeople’slives. Democracyisthusthebesthumanweaponsofarinventedforguardingagainstthe“illusionsofcertainty”andbreakinguptruth-camouflagedmonopoliesofpower,wherevertheyoperate.DemocracyisnotaTrueandRightnorm.Justthereverse:thenormofmonitorydemocracyisawareofitsownandothers’limits,knowsthatitdoesn’tknoweverything,andunderstandsthatdemocracyhasnometa-historicalguarantees.Thatiswhyitdoesnotsuffertruth-tellingdogmatistsandfoolsgladly. Democracyisalivingreminderthattruthsareneverself-evident,andthatwhatcountsastruthisamatterofinterpretation.Recognisingthatinpoliticallife“truthhasadespoticcharacter”,democracystandsforaworldbeyondtruthandpost-truth. Thisisnotbecauseallwomenandmenare“naturally”createdequal.Rather,it’sbecausedemocracysupposesthatnomanorwomanisgoodenoughtoclaimtheyknowthetruthandtorulepermanentlyovertheirfellowsandtheearthlyhabitatsinwhichtheydwell. Youcanreadotherarticlesintheserieshere. Thethemeoftruth,post-truthandtheunfinishedcommunicationsrevolutionisfurtherexploredinarecentlypublishedthepaper.cninterview,TheRevivalofTruthIsn’ttheRemedyforPost-Truth(availableonlyinChinese). 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