Ajith Koladi
the word
August 27, 2022 5:15 am
If we are constantly told that we live in a post-truth era, we are in a position to mitigate any great injustice. That is what is needed for those who use the term post-truth equally everywhere. The post-truth era is the name given to the new era by thinkers who have thoroughly studied the level of directness, facts and reality that are deliberately avoided in the brutal contests for power in the political and social media arenas. The term was first used in 1992 by Serbian-American writer Steve Tesic.
The word was widely used during the election of Donald Trump. It is said that 217 lies were spread in that election. Univision Digital News Editor Borja Echavarria revealed that 79 percent of the falsehoods were spread by the Republican candidate and 21% by the Democratic candidate. They coined the term post-truth to describe this deliberate disinformation. The Oxford Dictionary’s ‘International Word of the Year’ award that year went to the word ‘post-truth’. The new term is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “relating to, or applied to, a situation in which feelings and personal beliefs, rather than factual information, determine public opinion.”
Also Read: Implications of casteism
Trump and Hillary are addressing a larger society that values temporary feelings and beliefs over objective real facts and needs. Right-wing fascists today in Russia, Israel, Turkey, Brazil, India, and Pakistan lead such societies. This also happened in England. Those who wanted Britain to leave the European Union took them into confidence by presenting to the public before the Brexit referendum the benefits they would receive if they did. But later people came to know that this information was all fake. At that time, many people had warned about the financial difficulties that Britain might face if it leaves the European Union. One of the most challenging fields in the post-truth era is journalism. In the past, the main objective of the traditional media was to present the real facts as quickly as possible. But today social media is accomplishing that goal faster than anyone else.
At the same time, social media often spreads falsehoods that are colored more than the truth. Therefore, the general public has not completely rejected the traditional media. But the traditional media takes sides of individuals, political socio-religious movements and corporations and publishes false news. Traditional media should be careful to analyze and present the facts scientifically. But they can’t now. Because they understand that the market is more for emotional analysis than facts. Thus Satyananta logics are accepted wholeheartedly by the media. Many people forget that the greatest guardians of democracy are the media.
Also Read: Thought causes poverty
But in reality, the post-truth era is being built by authoritarian heads of state and capitalist powers rather than the media as its creators. Today, the dictators in the countries of the world, including India, are leading the people through ideas and images artificially created by the media, say thinkers who have learned about the post-truth era. Many leaders of political movements constantly engage in falsehoods to enhance their image within their own movement. Lies are made to be believed by the rank and file and make them emotional. Making hymns. Such leadership is disguised as a hero through marketing strategy. It’s actually like an inflated balloon. What dictators and self-image leaders do today is to spread falsehood to make it seem true and present unreality to make it seem real. This is how they address the people and ranks.
All this is happening in the land of Gandhiji who said that truth is unity of word, thought and action. Misrepresenting history. Fascists have made disinformation a daily practice. In the Indian society steeped in traditional belief, very orthodox thoughts are propagated by holding on to legends and romantic stories. Such thoughts are rooted today. Here, the society, steeped in traditional beliefs and customs, has not been able to adequately adapt to the ideas of democracy and secularism. The Left has a huge responsibility to fulfill in this situation. This is where the left public sphere has to step up and spread the truth. But the left-wing public sphere faces stiff challenges from communalist and conservative forces. Communalists spread massive falsehoods including anti-gnosticism, superstitions and religious beliefs. Is there a situation where any of their heinous acts are justified in the name of post-truth? Fascists take over educational and cultural institutions. As a result, the public sector in the country is losing its progressive and modern face. A crucial question is why the Left is unable to capture the imagination of the majority of people today, despite its long-standing presence and progressive outlook. More studies are needed on this. Spreading the truth and holding humanity together has always been the main mission of the Left. Just accomplish that task.
Also Read: Reservation for non-religious people
It is enough to overcome the mechanistic approach of Marxism. It is essential to the left’s alternative inquiry. Leftist ideology is relevant in India. When people’s lives are difficult and miserable, when people are divided on the basis of caste and religion, when hunger is on the rise, when people are denied the right to live with self-respect, then why is Marxism relevant? Gandhian thought and Marxian thought proclaim humanism. Through its synthesis, we can become propagandists of truth. We need discussions, we need studies, we need debates to create a left-wing public sphere. Creative ideas should be generated. Freedom of speech will pave the way for greater democracy. In this day and age, the Left must work hard to awaken the political power of the poor and the marginalized to overcome the falsehoods. Truth has disappeared from the world today. The truth should be propagated by proceeding through an objective, rational and scientific approach.
Historians say that there has never been a time when there was only truth. According to Yuval Noah Harari, the post-truth era exists even before the US presidential election. There is no such thing as truth in the world. He testifies that right from the beginning of the human race, man has grown up by creating fictional stories that are contrary to truth, reality and facts. There have been so many dictators in the last century who have tried to conquer the world through falsehood. Let’s not forget the names of Hitler and his chief intellectual Goebbels and Stalin and his chief intellectual Shadanov. The Geiselian theory that a falsehood, if repeated a thousand times, becomes the truth, may be said to be a formula developed in the last century for the post-truth era. Harari points to Russia’s bloody invasion of Ukraine in 2014, which President Vladimir Putin presented to the world. Putin claimed that he did not invade Ukraine, but that it was carried out by volunteer groups who organized weapons from local stores to make them appear to be Russian.
Also Read: Fascist rule; and media freedom
But everyone knows this is untrue. The ways in which dictators create and disseminate fake news to serve their vested interests is now a major topic in the study of international politics. If you look at countries like India, China, Russia, North Korea, America, Brazil and Israel, you can see how falsehood is spreading. We are witnessing the rapid loss of all the great things that our civil society has gained in the past decades through popular uprisings and democratic uprisings. For all those who dream of a just society, this setback should be a catalyst for fresh thinking. The left public sphere should be strengthened. Through deep discussion, internal critique, open debate, and credible action, the Left can elevate the truth. That is the most prominent duty…