Do the facts actually matter to voters or politicians? What does post-truth mean?
1. Organs of mass deception. Truth was spun and 'sexed up' in 2002 over Saddam Hussein's supposed weapons of mass destruction. An expectation of what was the truth was not supported by the facts. This illustrates the 'feelings first, rationalising afterwards' process. Emotions and feelings trump facts and resist correction. Confronted with views opposing their own, people will persuade themselves that things are not true. We are all vulnerable to this process.
A US experiment presented the same data as being either on skin cream effectiveness or on gun control issues. Numerate Republicans and Democrats agreed on the evidence-based conclusions for the skin cream scenario. However, equally numerate Republicans and Democrats came to different conclusions about the gun control scenario, with political tendencies over-riding actual correct conclusions.
2. When is a fact not a fact? We have gut feelings and can struggle with values versus facts. (a) Is the UK in the EU? An everyday truth. (b) How much does the EU cost? There are many answers, depending on which data is included. (c) Is it good for us to be in the EU? No one answer, as it depends on your values and circumstances.
People now feel they can decide things, and that facts don't carry weight. 'Trump echoes feelings'.
3. What has changed? The Internet has. Narcissus and Echo effects. Social media has changed how we get our news. Echo chambers - we only encounter facts and opinions that reflect our own. Social media algorithms feed you similar views to your own. Physical location and selective migration. People may move to areas with a majority of people of like mind (regions & cities in UK, states in US). Psychological geography research indicates that certain personality traits are more pronounced in certain areas: in the UK, openness in London and the West Country, traditional in Conservative-voting areas in the South and on the South Coast, neuroticism (anxiety, worry) in Labour areas in Wales and Central England. This means more likely to meet people of like minds.
Getting doubt into echo chambers may help balance views, but can easily backfire and reinforce beliefs.
4. An inside job. Climate change is well supported scientifically world-wide. In the US, politically split support regardless of facts. Not an information deficit, but a language deficit. The tribe of affinity. If US military had agreed there was a problem, rather than economists proposing taxes to make changes, Republicans would have been on board.
5. Tall tales. An experiment used a fictitious story about a jewellery theft. The wealthy owneres had family jewellery stolen, and police concluded it was an inside job. First the gardener was arrested. Then he was released without charge. Then the butler was arrested. If people were only told the story up to the gardener being released, for some people doubt remained as to his innocence. It was only when someone else was arrested that those people were convinced of the gardener's innocence.
Conclusions: There is a lack of trust if not exposed to other views. Get out of the echo chamber - ask the opinion of someone you dislike and don't interrupt them.
Source: Radio 4 programme series New World - episode Nothing But The Truth broadcast Mon. 2nd Jan. 2017. Listen now http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b086nzlg or download podcast for later listening http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04m7zrs, but not sure how long these will be available.
