posttruth
Facts matter less
Posttruth describes a cultural condition where appeals to emotion and personal belief matter more than objective facts in shaping public opinion.
The term gained currency after 2016 to characterize political discourse where verifiable claims carry less weight than tribal allegiances: We're living in a posttruth era.
Often hyphenated: post-truth.
Biased information for influence
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- falsehoodDeliberate untrue statement
spin · manipulation · deception · distortion · gaslighting · astroturfing · bot · psyops
Context-dependent truth doctrine
- subjectivismBelief truth is personal
- constructivismActive knowledge-building theory
- postmodernismSkepticism toward universal truths
- deconstructionAnalysis exposing self-contradiction
hermeneutics · indeterminacy · contingency · anti-foundationalism · narrative · discourse · truthiness · meaning-making
Separation into opposing extremes
- tribalismIn-group loyalty, out-group hostility
- populismPolitics favoring ordinary citizens
- viralSpreading quickly online
- clickbaitSensationalized content for traffic
algorithm · infotainment · influencer · soundbite · meme · engagement · doomscrolling · deepfake
Confirming accuracy of claims
- debunkingProving claims false
- verificationProving something accurate
- prebunkingRefuting falsehoods in advance
- evidence-basedSupported by verified data
accountability · transparency · credibility · journalism · watchdog · correction · retraction
Choosing only supporting examples
- anchoringFastening securely to position
- groupthinkConformity-driven poor decisions
- denialismRejection of established facts
- credulityUncritical acceptance of claims
propaganda
Biased information for influence
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
falsehood · spin · manipulation · deception · distortion · gaslighting · astroturfing · bot · psyops · agitprop
relativism
Context-dependent truth doctrine
- subjectivismBelief truth is personal
- constructivismActive knowledge-building theory
- postmodernismSkepticism toward universal truths
deconstruction · hermeneutics · indeterminacy · contingency · anti-foundationalism · narrative · discourse · truthiness · meaning-making · interpretation
polarization
Separation into opposing extremes
- tribalismIn-group loyalty, out-group hostility
- populismPolitics favoring ordinary citizens
- viralSpreading quickly online
clickbait · algorithm · infotainment · influencer · soundbite · meme · engagement · doomscrolling · deepfake
fact-checking
Confirming accuracy of claims
- debunkingProving claims false
- verificationProving something accurate
- prebunkingRefuting falsehoods in advance
evidence-based · accountability · transparency · credibility · journalism · watchdog · correction · retraction
cherry-picking
Choosing only supporting examples
- anchoringFastening securely to position
- groupthinkConformity-driven poor decisions
- denialismRejection of established facts
posttruthevidence-based
Supported by verified data
fact-based · empirical · scientific · objective · rational
posttruthtruthful
Accurate and sincere
honest · candid · sincere · veracious · forthright
posttruthEnlightenment
Era prioritizing reason over dogma
Age of Reason · rationalist · empiricism · modernist · positivist
truth, truthful, post-truth, truths, untruth, truthfulness, untruthful, untruthfulness, trueness