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Post-truth and 2016


2016 is bidding adieu having gifted us ‘post-truth’ as the word of the year, thanks to the Oxford Dictionaries.  Is the concept new, however?  Haven’t emotions and personal beliefs been more influential in shaping our ‘truths’ than objective facts throughout history?  Otherwise, why did religions and their gods continue to wield such power over us perennially?  Nationalism, Jihadism, Trumpism, Modiism, and a whole range of isms would not have succeeded as they did if objective facts held sway over shaping of public opinions.

‘Post-truth’ is just a euphemism for falsehood, deception, chicanery and all the lies that have dominated politics and human affairs from time immemorial.  There’s nothing new about it except that it’s a new word.  Only the word is new, not the concept, not the implications.

Throughout history political leaders used various tricks to deceive their people.  We have words like Machiavellian and Goebbelsian which came from real people who used inhuman strategies for suppressing if not eliminating whole sections of people.  India has its own historical Chanakya.  They were all masters of post-truths. 


The electoral victory of Donald Trump and the triumphal march of Narendra Modi, along with Brexit and the imminent collapse of European Union as well as the ever-resounding missile attacks by god’s own warriors, indicate that 2017 is going to be hard for most people. 

In India, we will soon have two idols dedicated to the religion of post-truth, both of which will cost the nation more than Rs 3000 crore each (441,260,829 USD). Both Shivaji and B R Ambedkar, whose statues are being installed in very prominent places, were historical figures, no doubt.  But why these two and not any other?  One is a symbol of the Hindutva ideology which Mr Modi is trying to impose on the nation and the other is a palliative balm for the Dalits and the oppressed sections that will continue to suffer many atrocities as they always did.  The motive is the post-truth. 

In a country where thousands of people go to bed hungry each day, thousands of children suffer from malnutrition, thousands keep migrating to cities in search of jobs, thousands don’t have drinking water, thousands of farmers commit suicide  – in a country where people are still struggling to retain basic human dignity, statues costing thousands of crores of rupees are the post-truths.


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  1. जितेन्द्र माथुरDecember 31, 2016 at 1:05 PM

    Your viewpoint is rational but in the corridors of power who pays two hoots for logic and rationale ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 31, 2016 at 2:25 PM

      I know. Maybe I can make at least some people think about alternative options.

      Delete
  2. K.A. AcharyaJanuary 1, 2017 at 9:32 AM

    Post-truth will always remain powerful as long as human beings have feelings. Sadly, the emotions, which are necessary for being a good human being, are also the weaknesses that fall victim to all these propaganda :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJanuary 1, 2017 at 9:44 AM

      The vast majority don't use their brains for thinking. That's the simple comic truth. Hence venal politicians can get away with their silly tricks.

      Delete
  3. sunaina sharmaJanuary 1, 2017 at 7:12 PM

    Yes, you correctly point out that post-truth has always been there - only the word is new. Emotions have been a major instrument for hushing facts and political leaders know well how to make best use of emotions- the year begins on an uncertain note. Only time will tell what happens next.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJanuary 1, 2017 at 9:09 PM

      The new year gift is a rise in prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. The currency crisis is set to burgeon. It's not at all a promising beginning.

      Delete
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