Living in the post-truth era :when emotions replace facts

 I am Siddhi Gohil, and this blog is written as Sunday reading activity assigned by the head of our department, pro. D.P.Barad. For this task we were provided with blogs posted and authored by Dr. Dilip Barad as reference material:Post truth:word of the year and Beware of Histofluencers. These are the articles from my understanding and reflection on the concept of post truth and it's influence in the digital age.

Origin of the word "post truth" :

The word  "Post truth" originates from 1990's.The term was first used in 1992 by Serbian- American playwright Steve Tesich in the nation magazine.He wrote about how public was  believing and accepting lies from political leaders , particularly in the context of the Iran-Contra scandal and the Gulf war.The word Post truth combines 'Post'which means after or beyond with 'truth ' which implying a shift where truth became less influential in shaping in shaping public opinion than emotions and personal beliefs.So "post truth" suggests an era or mindset where facts are secondary to feelings and beliefs , especially in politics and media.

Definition of the word "Post truth":

Post-truth refers to a situation where emotions and personal beliefs have more influence on public opinion than objective facts. In a post-truth context, facts are often ignored or twisted to fit what people want to believe, especially in politics and media.

Example:

Even when facts prove something wrong, people might still believe it because it "feels true" or aligns with their views.

Major reasons that it was the word of the year in 2016:

Major reasons why Post-truth was Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year in 2016:

1. Political Events:

It gained popularity during the Brexit referendum and the U.S. presidential election (Trump vs. Clinton), where emotional appeals and misleading information heavily influenced public opinion.

2. Rise of Fake News:

Social media spread misinformation quickly, making it hard to separate truth from lies.

3. Decline of Trust in Experts:

Many people began to ignore expert advice and facts, relying instead on feelings and personal beliefs.

4. Shift in Media Landscape:

Traditional journalism was challenged by opinion-based content, conspiracy theories, and biased news.

These factors marked a shift where truth became less important in shaping public opinion, making post-truth a defining term of the year.

How it affects peoples point of view:

1. Belief over Facts:

People start trusting emotions and personal opinions more than verified facts or evidence.

2. Polarized Opinions:

It creates division in society, as individuals form strong beliefs based on what they feel is right, not what is true.

3. Resistance to Truth:

Even when shown facts, people may refuse to change their views because it challenges their identity or worldview.

4. Spread of Misinformation:

People unknowingly share false information, believing it to be true because it aligns with their beliefs.

In short, post-truth weakens critical thinking and makes it harder to reach a common understanding or truth in society.

Digital platform's role in spreading post-truth narrative: 

1. Rapid Spread of Misinformation:

Social media allows false or emotional content to spread faster than verified news, often without fact-checking.

2. Echo Chambers & Algorithms:

Platforms show users content they already agree with, creating echo chambers where only one-sided views are reinforced.

3. Viral Emotional Content:

Emotional or shocking content gets more likes and shares, even if it’s false — pushing feelings over facts.

4. User-Generated Content:

Anyone can post online without accountability, making it easy for fake news, conspiracy theories, and biased opinions to thrive.

5. Weak Moderation:

Many platforms struggle to effectively detect and remove misleading content, allowing false narratives to persist.

In summary, digital platforms fuel the post-truth era by amplifying emotion-driven, misleading content and reducing exposure to diverse, factual viewpoints.

Personal encounter with post truth:

Personal Encounter with Post-Truth (Example)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I saw many friends on social media sharing false remedies and conspiracy theories — like “drinking hot water kills the virus” or “vaccines are harmful.” Even when reliable medical sources said otherwise, they refused to believe the facts, saying, “I just feel this is right” or “everyone I know says so.”This experience showed me how emotions, fear, and personal beliefs can overpower logic and evidence — a clear example of the post-truth mindset in daily life.

Conclusion:

The post-truth era highlights a troubling shift where emotions and personal beliefs often outweigh facts and evidence. Driven by digital platforms, misinformation spreads quickly, shaping opinions and deepening social divides. To protect truth and rational thinking, it is crucial to promote media literacy, critical thinking, and responsible information sharing in our daily lives.

Website:

https://blog.dilipbarad.com/2023/11/beware-of-histofluencers.html

1.https://blog.dilipbarad.com/2017/01/post-truth-word-of-year-2016.html. 

These blogs ideas and information is used in the blog