The Post-truth strategy

Propaganda and delegitimation

Abstract

We investigate “post-truth” as political and communicative action. Through theoretical development and with help from specialized bibliography, we seek to show that the public’s critical thinking regarding sources of information can be manipulated to reinforce preconceptions. This is related to the characteristics of modernity, in Giddens’ terms. Such manipulation targets trust in authorities of information and legitimation criteria for testimony, in the case of journalism, and knowledge, in the case of science. We argue that such strategy has parallels with a post-structuralist view of politics, characterized by questioning institutions that impose criteria of acceptable discourses. Hence it escapes argumentative deliberation and eschews truthfulness and accuracy in speech.