The article discusses the prevalence of white lies, exaggerations, and hyperbole in daily life, emphasizing that these deceitful practices can have significant repercussions. Many individuals distort truths for personal gain or to avoid consequences, leading to a disregard for evidence that contradicts their narratives. Philosopher Harry Frankfurt's concept of 'bullshit' is introduced to showcase a dangerous trend where abandoning the truth leads to a decline in critical thinking. The article ultimately argues for the necessity of valuing truth as a foundation for informed reasoning in an increasingly complex world.
We often think that the opposite of the truth is a lie, but that's not quite right. Instead, the opposite of being wedded to a fact-based, evidence-based reality, where the truth is of paramount importance, is instead a stream of what recently-deceased philosopher Harry Frankfurt would simply call bullshit.
Once we abandon caring about the truth - exactly what the proponents of a post-truth world would desire - we abandon the ability to think and reason critically. Yet that's exactly what's needed now, more than ever.
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