Post-truth (Adj.)
Relating to circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than emotional appeals.
Post-truth was declared word of the year for 2016 by the Oxford Dictionary.
I found out about this today in my introductory German class. After explaining what it was, I started to realize what era the world was heading into and some of the things it may entail.
An article from BBC quoted Casper Grathwohl, from the Oxford Dictionary, who said, post-truth could become "one of the defining words of our time."
Use of the word has increased by 2,000% in 2016. The word was used surrounding Brexit and when Donald Trump became the Republican nominaee then President.
The idea that the world is moving towards a post-truth public opinion is terrifying to me.
I can see how it could be a good thing if it used for positive change; however, it is subjective and dependent on point of view. Because it is dependent on point of view and unchallenged emotion, the meaning of this phenomena might undermine ideas society has been working to erradicate for decades such as racism, homophobia, and misogynism.
The first thought I had after reading the definition was that Hitler used emotional appeals to win the support of the people of Germany (although he was never elected). Demogogues use emotion to dominate.
Post-truth also made me think of the 2016 election. Donald Trump made general statement after general statement with emotion evoking images that were false some if not most of the time. While Hillary Clinton had decades of experience and had real, tangible ideas, although she wasn't perfect. Either way, the candidate who used less facts and more emotional situation won.
It does seem as if a post-truth society is actually occuring. But perhaps post-truth has been occurring for decades and the choices were never as drastic as the ones made in 2016.
As someone in college, if I didn't use facts and figures, I would fail to back up my claims. I would fail at college. This goes to show how obsurd post-truth is. However, with the current non-sensical political climate, post-truth makes more sense.
I'm becoming painfully aware of that fact of what's going on today will someday be history. That maybe one day, when I'm old and my grandchildren are in school, they'll question me: "Grandma, what was it like living back then?" Just as I asked my grandmother what it was like being a teenager during the Second World War.
Unfortunately, we won't know how this period will be defined until it is over.
