SR:Post-truth

I am writing in this blog about the concept, definition or examples of Post-truth. 

Definition of Post-truth 

The word ‘post-truth’ sounds so pretentious that the Oxford English Dictionary gave it the honour of being 2016 word of the year. Its dictionary definition reads: “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” 

The Concept of Post-truth 

Post-truth is a term that refers to the 21st century widespread documentation of and concern about disputes over public truth claims. The term's academic development refers to the theories and research that explain the historically specific causes and the effects of the phenomenon.

Some scholars argue that post-truth  has similarities with past moral, epistemic and political debates about relativism,postmodernity, and dishonesty in politics, while others insist that post-truth is specifically concerned with 21st century communication technologies and cultural practices. 

Examples of  Post-truth 

The year of 2016 has been declared by some as “the worst year like, ever.” The traditionally delicate readers of the Guardian newspaper wept for weeks about Brexit. When countless refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan were risking their lives to get to Europe, remain voters (who now have their exclusive dating app) wanted the world’s consolation for having to get a visa to visit their summer house in Valencia. White liberal academics in the US have spun a good length of yarn about how much they now are suffering from “a climate of anti-intellectualism” following Donald Trump’s election, as if the true victims of Trump’s presidency will be the universities and not the projects. 2016 has not only given the literati a much coveted excuse to claim victimhood, it has also given them a catchy little word to sound smart while doing so.

Post truth crowned Oxford word of year 2016 connotes the use of emotional arguments and opinions for the purpose of winning a viewpoint.

This award clearly signals the prevailing political scenario around the globe where truth is fading importance in the political arena

Be it Brexit , American presidential elections or indoctrination techniques of terrorists, support is being garnered by purposely hiding or delaying the factual truth. Stress is more on decorated opinions forcefully being imposed upon by the force of majority. Social media is flooded with information and yet minning the truth is hard a nut to crack. As various surveys indicate that politicians are concerned with mere control of power , post truth is suitable tool for them. But what's really unfortunate is our own apathy towards greater cause of humanity. Politicians are feeding upon our own fears and imphasizing more on who our enemies are ,thus dividing us for pitty reasons of ethical religious or jingoistic interests, which we ourselves support.Net loss is that of humanity.

Alas the voice of downtrodden is weak The hope is not dead yet. Human rights organizations and civil society at regional national and international levels are striving hard.

We saw many people welcoming and fighting for the rights of refugees during recent crisis in Europe. Many tried to work for solutions for those fled persecution or inhumane conditions at home.

Hope is still alive and may the truth shall ultimately triumph ….

The post-truth history of Gandhi’s ‘racism’

Gandhi’s Constructive Programme aimed at, among other things, Hindu-Muslim unity in a caste-free and secular (where religion is not allowed to manifest in the public sphere) socialist society called “Swaraj”. What is preventing the absorption of Gandhi by the Dalit movement is a series of post-truth discourses by some intellectuals claiming to speak on behalf of Dalits. Such a post-truth reading of Gandhian archives is trying to project Gandhi as a propagator of “Jati vyavasta” and is making the Dalit movement suspicious of Gandhi’s strong affinity with the Dalits.