Amongst fake-news and alternative facts there is post truth politics, some believe this is a new phenomenon whereas others believe is has been used in political conversation for decades.
Image: Pile of newspapers, image courtesy of Jon S, flickr.com
Post-truth politics relates to circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. This political culture is disconnected from the details of policies and by using repeated assertion of talking points the factual rebuttals are ignored. It has been said that post-truth differs from the traditional contesting and falsifying of truth by rendering it as secondary importance.
Political commentators from around the globe has identifies post-truth politics being used in debates, campaigns, speeches as well as conversations and interviews. Post-truth isn’t the only false truths being told as there are: combinations of 24-hour news channels broadcasting fake news, as well as news outlets giving imbalanced stories, and the dangerous tool of social media that not only produces fake-news but spreads it like wild fire.
The term post-truth differs from traditional contesting and falsifying of truth by rendering it of secondary importance. While many think this is a contemporary problem, there is a possibility that is has been around longer than it was initially thought, but only less notable prior to the Internet.
It was wrote in the NewStatesman that post-truth isn’t the same as lies, even though lying may as well be involved. Post-truth is closer to bullshit. From the explosion of fake news and cultured online trolling bolsters it makes it impossible for citizens to entirely trust anything they read or hear. It leaves people vulnerable to latching on to the ideas that simply feel as if they ought to be true, with no regard for the objective fact, which has been devalued, along with the very concept of expertise and learning, across the globe. 
Image: Cartooned politicians, image courtesy Mckayla Setzer flickr.com
Councillor Peter Box, 70, Leader of Wakefield Council, said: “One of the real problems is the unpopularity and distrust of politicians across the world now. As we now have more access to information, it is now easier to promote fake news, which is one of the reasons people do not trust politicians anymore.”
According to the Oxford Dictionaries, the term post-truth was first used in an essay by Steve Tesich called The Nation, published in 1992, the text revealed the truth about Watergate, covered the Iran-Contra scandal and shameful truths relating to the Persian Gulf War.
Then in 2004, Ralph Keyes published a book under the title post-truth era, the same year an American journalist by the name Eric Alterman wrote of a post-truth political environment, and coined the term the post-truth presidency in his analysis of the statements made by the Bush administration after the 9/11 attacks which are thought to be misleading.
Whereas most people think the phrase post truth politics was coined by a blogger named David Roberts, in 2010. He defined the term as a political culture in which politics, public opinion and media narratives, have become almost entirely disconnected from policy [the substance of legislation]. And after this the term became widely used during the campaigns for the 2016 American presidential elections and the 2016 referendum on membership in the European Union for the United Kingdom. The phrases usage had increased by 2,000% in comparison to the previous year, 2015.
Academic Jennifer Hochschild, H.L Jayne Professor of Government at Harvard University, described the rise of post-truth as a return to the 18th and 19th century political and media practices in the United States, after a period where the media was relatively balanced, rhetoric and toned down.
It was also said that the pamphlet wars [any argument or discussion through a printed medium], that arose with the growth of printing in the 1600s have been described as an early form of post-truth politics. The pamphlets included slanderous and bitter criticisms that led to wars and revolutions such as the English Civil War and the American War of Independence.
Councillor Box, said: “Post truth politics first came about through the American Civil War [1861-1865]. It was through the South claiming about State rights, the right to slavery. It is not a new phenomenon like most people believe.”
Councillor David Jones, 62, Deputy portfolio owner for economic growth & regeneration at Wakefield Council, said: “Post-truth politics will never stop, it’s been around for a while. As in American politics post truths been around since the Civil War period and probably before then.
Whereas politics is the United Kingdom has always been different, it was a gentlemanly occupation where most men came from Oxbridge [Oxford University] or Cambridge University. Post truth politics came into play around 1906 with David Lloyd George, as he changed the face of politics, selling honours and other ungentlemanly activies.”
If post truth politics has been around for longer than people actually think, does it mean that it has now become an acceptable political method for politicians to use? As many regard that we are in a post-truth era due to the increase in disregard for the truth.
Both the younger and older generation are getting annoyed with politicians that disregards facts and start to falsify the truth.
Chris Porter, 28, Warehouse supervisor, said: “Letting people hear what they want to hear for a campaign should not happen as this could potentially decide the outcome of an economy.”
Alison Rayne, 65, retiree, said: “There are a lot of fabrications and lies that come out after an election, and I don’t think post truths should be used.”
Many believe that the post truths told in campaigns influence people to vote for them, for example in Brexit where Nigel Farage told the United Kingdom if we leaved the European Union that the UK could keep the £350 million it pays as a membership fee and spend it on our essential National Health Service.
Lindsey Smith, 45, Practice Nurse, said: “During a campaign politicians make claims, usually aimed at certain groups, about services such as the NHS which turn out to be false. I usually take everything with a pinch of salt regarding politics but I can see how some people who passionately believe in something that could be changed will be disappointed when it turns out not be to true.”
Image: Brexit Bus, courtesy of Emergency Vehicles flickr.com
Similarly in the 2016 American presidential elections, when Donald Trump became elected as America’s new president, people believed that Trump fabricated the truth the majority of the time, and sometimes it wasn’t even a fabrication of the truth but just a blatant lie.
Paul Whittaker, 44, sales manager, said: “Trump tapped into emotions rather than factual political statements, he just followed trends talking about gun policies and building a wall as he knew that the public wanted a better immigration system and just played on this. I think it just shows how easy the Americans are led by propaganda.”
Barbara Simmonds, 74, retiree, said: “Donald Trump appealed to the American people with promises he couldn’t hope to fulfil but he was playing with their minds. I didn’t enjoy the rhetoric and firmly believe that Russia had a firm hand in the election.”
It has been said that this post truth era is just a point in time that the political development line is going through. Politics is all about trying to get your vote and approval, and most politicians now will do whatever they can in order to do that and at the same time they try to retain power and influence over the public.
Councillor Jones, said: “When it says post-truth I think it is probably more to do with the fact that there is a slightly newer approach to campaigning and I think with the onset of social media it has brought in an extra dimension and also in doing that it has brought in a whole new range of people who have previously chuntered in social groupings and now have got a whole new opportunity to be able to talk to the world. Post truths will never stop.”
Wrote By Bethany Vaughan
Post truth politics 