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Post - Truth

 Post truth : The Word of the Year 2016

     Definition of post truth :

      "relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief." 

 


          

Post-truth is a term that refers to the widespread documentation of, and concern about, disputes over public truth claims in the 21st century. The term's academic development refers to the theories and research that explain the specific causes historically, and the effects of the phenomenon.popularly defines it as "relating to and denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.

While the term was used in phrases like "post-truth politics" academically and publicly before 2016,in 2016 the term was named Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries after the term's proliferation in the election of president Trump in the United States and the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom; Donald Trump has been characterized as engaging in a "war on truth." Oxford Dictionaries further notes that post-truth was often used as an adjective to signal a distinctive kind of politics.

Some scholars argue that post-truth has similarities with past moral ,epistemic and political debates about relativism ,postmodernity , and dishonesty in politics.Others insist that post-truth is specifically concerned with 21st century communication technologies and cultural practices.

Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2016 Is ‘Post-Truth’

         The Short List


adulting noun, informal: The practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks.

alt-right noun: An ideological grouping associated with extreme conservative or reactionary viewpoints, characterized by a rejection of mainstream politics and by the use of online media to disseminate deliberately controversial content. 


Brexiteer noun, informal: A person who is in favor of the United Kingdom withdrawing from the European Union.


chatbot noun: A computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the Internet.


coulrophobia noun: Extreme or irrational fear of clowns


glass cliff noun: Used with reference to a situation in which a woman or member of a minority group ascends to a leadership position in challenging circumstances where the risk of failure is high.


hygge noun: A quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being, regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture. 


Latinx noun: A person of Latin American origin or descent, used as a gender-neutral or non-binary alternative to Latino or Latina.


woke adjective, US informal: [originally in African-American usage] Alert to injustice in society, especially racism.

Examples: 

Here’s an example of the "post-truth world in India in 2016", which played out prominently during major political and social events:


"Headline": '2016's Post-Truth Politics: Fake News Inflames Religious Tensions During Demonetization'


Date: November 28, 2016


In November 2016, India was plunged into economic chaos following the government's decision to demonetize ₹500 and ₹1,000 currency notes. While the goal of the move was to curb black money, it also gave rise to a wave of "misinformation" and fake news, fueling confusion and social unrest.


Amid long queues at banks and ATMs, rumors started circulating on "WhatsApp" and other social media platforms. One widely shared message falsely claimed that the new ₹2,000 note contained a GPS chip to track black money holders. Despite fact-checking efforts by media outlets, many believed this claim, exacerbating the chaos.


At the same time, false news reports suggested that demonetization was a targeted attack on certain religious groups and their wealth, deepening communal tensions. Videos and images of alleged currency seizures from religious institutions, later proven to be fake, spread widely, leading to protests and clashes.


In this "post-truth environment", where emotions overpowered facts, many people accepted rumors and fake news over official statements, contributing to a volatile social atmosphere.


Thank you .

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