In his book “Truth: A History and a Guide for the Perplexed,” Felipe Fernandez-Armesto discusses the differing concepts of truth as seen by various cultures. Those of us reared in the West assume that truth and facts are immutable, but in some cultures this isn't so. Fernandez-Armesto argues that it was this adherence to a concrete concept of truth that enabled western civilization to dominate the world for so long. But we have entered a new age, where people in all cultures, including those in the West, look for truth, not for its immutability, but for its comfort. This change has been enabled by social media, where new online “experts” replace traditional credentialed experts. Government, always suspect, is now often the last place people will look for facts.
In most areas of the world, society has fragmented into carefully delineated political tribes which are earnestly seeking their own truths. They look upon those pedaling “actual” truth as fools or charlatans, often accusing them of pushing false information in pursuit of more and more academic grants, or socialism. Unfortunately, these accusations offer comfort to many in society who see some of the broad truths of our time, such as climate change, as designed to cheat ordinary people of their prosperity. Ironically, there may be something to this, as the beautiful people and ultra wealthy travel to conferences in their private jets to discuss how the future will involve “living smaller,” (for thee but not for me) if the example is any clue.
Whatever the facts may be, the fragmentation of knowledge is here to stay. The fight for legitimacy by knowledge peddlers in the public square, both authoritative nd pure liars, will continue, and the harm of false prophets will only increase.
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