In recent years, the term "post-truth" has become part of everyday political vocabulary. From viral social media debates to presidential elections and international crises, accusations of "fake news" and "misinformation" dominate the discourse.
But where did post-truth really come from? And is it a phenomenon born of random chaos — or does it have clear ideological roots?
When we dig deeper, we find that post-truth thinking originates largely from left-wing intellectual traditions, and is often maintained through the ancient mechanism of the noble lie — the idea that society sometimes must be deceived "for its own good."
The Birth of Post-Truth: A Left-Wing Invention?
While politicians across the spectrum now exploit misinformation, the philosophical foundations of post-truth are deeply tied to leftist postmodernism.
The term "post-truth" was first coined by Serbian-American playwright Steve Tesich in 1992, writing in The Nation about the Iran-Contra scandal:
"We, as a free people, have freely decided that we want to live in some post-truth world."
But long before Tesich, the seeds were sown in postmodern philosophy, especially among French theorists like:
- Michel Foucault: argued that truth is a function of power, not objective reality.
- Jean-François Lyotard: famous for describing "incredulity toward metanarratives" — skepticism toward grand universal truths.
- Jacques Derrida: developed deconstruction, questioning the very ability of language to convey objective meaning.
In Foucault's own words:
"Truth is a thing of this world: it is produced only by virtue of multiple forms of constraint."
(Truth and Power, 1977)
This philosophical current — especially influential in liberal universities — rejected the Enlightenment idea of a discoverable, objective reality. Instead, it promoted the view that "truth" is socially constructed, subjective, and political.
The Noble Lie: Controlling Truth for a "Greater Good"
The "noble lie" comes from Plato's Republic, where Socrates suggests that rulers may need to fabricate myths to keep society harmonious.
In the modern context, progressive elites often adopt this strategy:
- Manipulate or withhold facts to guide public opinion toward the "correct" outcomes.
- Justify censorship or narrative shaping in the name of "protecting democracy" or "preventing harm."
Thus, while many accuse the populist right of spreading "fake news," much of the systematic, institutional post-truth strategy actually comes from the left.
Modern Examples: USA and Beyond
1. COVID-19 Messaging in the USA
Early in the pandemic, U.S. public health officials downplayed the effectiveness of masks.
Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted later:
"We were concerned the public would hoard masks and there wouldn't be enough for healthcare workers."
(CBS News, July 2020)
This was classic noble lie behavior: lying "for your own good."
2. Hunter Biden Laptop Story Suppression
In October 2020, The New York Post broke the story of Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop, containing evidence of shady business dealings.
Immediately, dozens of liberal media outlets and intelligence officials called it "Russian disinformation" — without evidence.
NPR even justified refusing to cover the story:
"We don't want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories."
(NPR Public Editor, October 2020)
After the 2020 election, even The New York Times quietly admitted:
"Yes, the laptop is authentic."
(NYT, March 2022)
The deliberate suppression of the story before an election was a noble lie intended to prevent voters from making the "wrong" choice.
3. "Mostly Peaceful Protests" and Media Spin
During the 2020 George Floyd protests, CNN ran the now-infamous on-screen headline:
"Fiery but mostly peaceful protests after police shooting."
(CNN, Kenosha coverage, August 2020)
Images showed a building ablaze behind the reporter.
By emphasizing "mostly peaceful," despite widespread looting and violence, liberal media reframed reality to protect the moral authority of the protests.
4. Canada's "Mass Graves" Narrative
In 2021, the Canadian government and media outlets reported that hundreds of indigenous children had been found in "mass graves" at former residential schools.
Headlines from CBC and The Guardian screamed:
"Mass grave of indigenous children discovered in Canada."
Later, excavation efforts found no human remains at several sites (e.g., Kamloops).
No mass graves. No confirmed bodies.
Yet the government never corrected the record, and used the story to justify massive political shifts and "reconciliation" programs.
Why It Matters
When societies lose faith in objective truth, and elites justify noble lies to manipulate the masses, democracy itself suffers.
Once truth is seen as flexible, power replaces reason.
Trust collapses. Extremism rises. Division becomes permanent.
As Václav Havel, a survivor of communist totalitarianism, warned:
"The truth is not simply what you think it is; it is also the circumstances in which it is said, and to whom, why, and how."
Conclusion: Post-Truth's True Origins
While many today blame populism or the internet for our "post-truth" era, the reality is that the ideological groundwork was laid decades ago in progressive academia.
Postmodernism taught us that truth is political.
Liberal elites adopted the noble lie to protect society from "dangerous" facts.
Now, both left and right weaponize these tactics — but the original DNA of post-truth thinking is unmistakably left-wing.
If we want to rebuild trust and reason, we must first confront where this rot began.
No comments:
Post a Comment