Post-truth And Alternative Facts

Post-truth: Alternative Facts

The evolving terminology of the post-truth society is beginning to beguile me. The latest phrase I have encountered is «alternative facts». To understand what an alternative fact is we need a definition of a fact. A definition I can accept is that a fact is something that is true (or held to be so on the basis of available knowledge). The slight hedging around «available knowledge» is necessary to allow for the scientific arena, except perhaps in mathematics where something can be axiomatically true. There is also an area of knowledge where “fuzzy logic” (an IT term) and probability theory applies in the search for facts. But what we can definitely say is that truth is of the essence of facts.

Scientists tend to be wary of truths, generally contenting themselves when asked for an opinion by saying that a hypothesis may fit all the known facts rather than necessarily be true. This leads us into the arena of competing hypotheses, Occam's razors, and other rather intellectually demanding disciplines. But do we really need to go there to understand alternative facts? In contexts where alternative facts are presented I have no sense of nice and important distinctions being sought. Rather I have the feeling of an inescapable fact (truth) being circumvented. In brief, alternative facts are almost certainly lies.

The problem with lies is that they have all sorts of negative connotations. Worst of all is that they obviously shouldn't be believed. So how do you make a downright lie smell nicer, so that it might be believed? You call it an alternative fact, side-stepping the fact (sic) that the alternative to fact is fiction. This intrigues the wordsmith side of me but has far more importance than that. What I think has been noted in important and powerful places is that there is a large population of people in the western world, and hence an important potential voting constituency in any democracy, who have managed to escape the predations of educational systems and are open to acceptance of downright lies. The problem is how to present lies palatably, believably; they need a sugar coating.

Enter the PR profession, the most creative wordsmiths in the world. If anyone can make a lie seem like a fact they can; they've been doing it for decades. They are also masters of the empty of meaning but emotionally profound turn of phrase, the trumpet call to cherished myths and fantasies of the past and future: patriotism (that last refuge of rogues), independence, taking control. Business has never been better, as it should be if you can add the present to buyers of past and future of fantasies.

Orwell missed a trick when he imagined a Ministry of Truth but omitted to imagine a Ministry of Post-truth. The signs are that we have one now but although it is as yet undeclared I believe it to be an actual fact rather than an alternative one.