* In 2005, Stephen Colbert catapulted the word “truthiness”—the quality of an idea “feeling” true without any backup evidence—into the public consciousness. Salon blogger Manjoo expands upon this concept in his perceptive analysis of the status of truth in the digital age, critiquing a Rashomon-like world in which competing versions of truth vie for our attention. Driven by research and study, the book relies on abstract psychological and sociological concepts, such as “selective exposure” and “peripheral processing,” though these are fleshed out with examples from American history, politics and media. For example, Manjoo demonstrates how the Swift Boat Veterans' negative campaign derailed John Kerry's 2004 presidential run. He also points out that the sheer quantity of 9/11 imagery has engendered more conspiracy theories, not fewer—demonstrating, he says, the disjunction between truth and proof. Manjoo rounds out his analysis by examining the workings of “partisan news realities,” and he points out that the first casualty in these truth wars is a basic human and civic need: trust. Though several of the author's ideas are repetitiously threaded through his narrative, Manjoo has produced an engaging, illustrative look at the dangers of living in an oversaturated media world. (Mar.) (Publishers Weekly, January 28, 2008)
Why has punditry overtaken news, with so many media outlets pushing partisan agendas instead of information? Why do lies seem to linger so long in the cultural subconscious even after they've been thoroughly discredited? And why, when more people than ever before are documenting the truth with laptops and digital cameras, does fact-free spin and propaganda seem to work so well?
Comedian Stephen Colbert's catchword "truthiness" captured something essential about our age: that people are now more comfortable with ideas thatfeeltrue, even if the evidence for those beliefs is thin. In a subtle and fascinating exploration, Farhad Manjoo explains what's powering this phenomenon. He explores how new technologies that give us control over what we see and read have caused "reality" to split across political and cultural lines, allowing opposing groups to subscribe not only to different opinions from each other but also different facts.In an age of talk radio, cable television, and the blog- and YouTube-addled internet universe, it is no longer necessary for any of us to confront notions that contradict what we "know" to be true.
With brilliant insights from psychology, sociology, and economics, Manjoo explains how myths pushed by both partisans and marketers-whether about global warming, the war in Iraq, 9/11, or even the virtues of a certain candy bar-have attracted wide support in recent years. His characters include the Swift Boat veterans, Lou Dobbs, and conspiracy theorists of all varieties, all of whom prove thattruematters less, now, than trueenough.
Why has punditry overtaken news, with so many media outlets pushing partisan agendas instead of information? Why do lies seem to linger so long in the cultural subconscious even after they've been thoroughly discredited? And why, when more people than ever before are documenting the truth with laptops and digital cameras, does fact-free spin and propaganda seem to work so well?
Comedian Stephen Colbert's catchword "truthiness" captured something essential about our age: that people are now more comfortable with ideas thatfeeltrue, even if the evidence for those beliefs is thin. In a subtle and fascinating exploration, Farhad Manjoo explains what's powering this phenomenon. He explores how new technologies that give us control over what we see and read have caused "reality" to split across political and cultural lines, allowing opposing groups to subscribe not only to different opinions from each other but also different facts.In an age of talk radio, cable television, and the blog- and YouTube-addled internet universe, it is no longer necessary for any of us to confront notions that contradict what we "know" to be true.
With brilliant insights from psychology, sociology, and economics, Manjoo explains how myths pushed by both partisans and marketers-whether about global warming, the war in Iraq, 9/11, or even the virtues of a certain candy bar-have attracted wide support in recent years. His characters include the Swift Boat veterans, Lou Dobbs, and conspiracy theorists of all varieties, all of whom prove thattruematters less, now, than trueenough.
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940169689358 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Blackstone Audio, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 06/01/2008 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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