Post-Truth, a new Phenomenon, or an already existing one: An Investigation into the Phenomenon of Post-Truth

Abstract

The phenomenon of post-truth has its roots in the timeless connection between lies and politics, but in the early 21st century, certain conditions has allowed this relation between lies and politics to evolve into a new form, which is the phenomenon of “post-truth” which has become part of the contemporary political vocabulary. The article gives an account of this relation as described by Hannah Arendt, traces the specific changes this relation has undergone, and explores the historical conditions that precipitated this evolution, namely social media and its role in the decline of institutions that traditionally safeguarded truth. Finally, it poses the question of what solutions are possible. For example, are “facts” as stubborn as Arendt suggests?