The Death of Truth
The Death of Truth
Michiko Kakutani
Fareed Zakaria
Brilliantly explains the cultural and political forces that brought us to our current sorry condition. - Fareed Zakaria
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The Death of Truth

The Death of Truth: Notes on Falsehood in the Age of Trump

Michiko Kakutani
Michiko Kakutani
By
Michiko Kakutani
3.8
4689
ratings on Goodreads

In "The Death of Truth," Michiko Kakutani embarks on a harrowing journey through the cultural and political landscape that has led to the erosion of truth in contemporary society. With the precision of a seasoned critic and the depth of a thoughtful observer, Kakutani dissects the multifaceted war on facts, tracing its roots from the rise of relativism in academia to the explosion of misinformation in the digital age. Through her incisive analysis, Kakutani reveals how the undermining of truth has become a strategy for power, used by autocrats and demagogues to obliterate the distinction between fact and fiction, leaving the populace disoriented and democracy in peril. Drawing from a rich tapestry of historical references, literature, and current events, Kakutani offers a compelling diagnosis of our current condition. She illuminates the ways in which the assault on truth has infected every facet of culture, from language to art, and how it reflects deeper societal shifts towards individualism and subjectivity. "The Death of Truth" is not just a critique but a clarion call for resistance, urging readers to reclaim the value of truth and reason in public discourse. Kakutani's masterful blend of analysis and narrative exposes the existential threat that lies at the heart of the post-truth era, making it an essential read for those who seek to understand the complexities of living in a time where truth is often obscured.

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Released
2018
17 Jul
Length
208
Pages

1

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Brilliantly explains the cultural and political forces that brought us to our current sorry condition. - Fareed Zakaria
As Hannah Arendt wrote in her 1951 book, The Origins of Totalitarianism, “The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction (i.e., the reality of experience) and the distinction between true and false (i.e., the standards of thought) no longer exist.
— Michiko Kakutani, The Death of Truth

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